The (New York) critics have spoken. “Lady Bird” is 2017’s Best Film. Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut took top honors from The New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), a press release has announced.
The acclaimed coming-of-age dramedy follows Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), a Sacramento-based teen who’s desperate to attend college in New York City. Ronan was named Best Actress by the NYFCC. She just won a Gotham Award for the role.
“Lady Bird” recently made history as the best-reviewed film ever on Rotten Tomatoes, and The National Board of Review (NBR) named Gerwig as Best Director in their annual honors. The universally adored pic’s Oscar odds are looking better by the day.
Rachel Morrison made herstory as the first woman to win NYFCC’s cinematography award. She served as DP on Dee Rees’ “Mudbound,” an epic about two men returning home to Mississippi after fighting in WWII. A woman has never received an Oscar nod for Best Cinematography, so Morrison may be adding her name to another record book later in the year.
“Girls Trip” breakout Tiffany Haddish was named Best Supporting Actress, a good sign that the comedian could earn other awards recognition for her performance in the box office smash.
“Faces Places” was recognized as Best Nonfiction Film. Co-directed by Agnès Varda, the road movie sees Varda and collaborator JR traveling through France and meeting locals.
Film critic and author Molly Haskell received a Special Award for Career Achievement. She’s written for The Village Voice, New York magazine, and Vogue, and her books include “From Reverence to Rape: The Treatment of Women in the Movies” and “Holding My Own in No Man’s Land: Women and Men and Films and Feminists.”
The awards will be handed out during NYFCC’s annual ceremony, which will be held on January 3.
