New York Film Critics Circle Celebrates Winners With Virtual Ceremony Featuring Martin Scorsese, Bong Joon-Ho, Alfre Woodard And Frances McDormand

The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC celebrated its 86th annual awards ceremony to celebrate this year’s winners and for the first time, it was virtual.

The pre-recorded ceremony was hosted by NYFCC Chair Stephanie Zacharek of Time Magazine. She presented awards alongside last year’s winners Martin Scorsese (Best Film, The Irishman) and Bong Joon-Ho (Best Foreign Language Film, Parasite) as well as Frances McDormand, Alfre Woodard, Chloe Sevigny and Sacha Baron Cohen.

Norm Lewis was also on hand to honor his late, great Da 5 Bloods co-star Chadwick Boseman. His wife, Taylor Simone Ledward accepted his award for Best Supporting Actor.

Scorsese honored Spike Lee with a special award for his short New York New York, which was shot during the pandemic. The Da 5 Bloods filmmaker recorded his acceptance speech on January 6 when Trump supporters invaded the Capitol. “We’re at the crossroads now and everybody please be safe. This is not a game” he said. “This president agent orange will go down in history with the likes of Hitler,” he added before saying that politicians who have stood by Trump’s side are “on the wrong side of history.”

This year also marked the retirement of NYFCC General Manager Marshall Fine. Fine is a four-time former chair of the group and has been a member of the NYFCC since 1989. Creating the position of treasurer in 1993, he served as a backstop to the group’s chairs. After retiring from criticism in 2016, he created the position of general manager to oversee the NYFCC’s annual awards dinner and provide continuity for the group from year to year.

Stephen Garrett will step in as General Manager for 2021 and will be a non-voting member of the NYFCC. Since 1998, he has been the de facto archivist for the group. Garrett is the founder and president of Jump Cut, a marketing company specializing in trailers and posters for independent, foreign-language, and documentary films. He was the former film editor at Time Out New York, and has written for Esquire, Filmmaker, The Observer, and Book & Film Globe.

Watch the full ceremony above. Read the full list of previously announced NYFCC winners and presenters below.

Best Film
First Cow
Presented by Bong Joon-ho

Best Director
Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Presented by Frances McDormand

Best Screenplay
Eliza Hittman, Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Best Actress
Sidney Flanigan, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Presented by Chloë Sevigny

Best Actor
Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods
Presented by Alfre Woodard

Best Supporting Actress
Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Movie film
Presented by Sacha Baron Cohen

Best Supporting Actor
Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods
Presented by Norm Lewis

Best Foreign Language Film
Bacurau

Best Cinematography
Shabier Kirchner, Small Axe (all films)

Best Nonfiction Film
Time

Best First Film
The 40-Year-Old Version (Radha Blank)