“One Battle After Another” Crowned Best Picture by Los Angeles Film Critics Association
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The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) announced its annual awards on Sunday, recognizing “One Battle After Another” as the year’s best picture, signaling a potential boost for the film’s Oscar prospects. The awards, which honor both mainstream and independent cinema, also celebrated achievements in directing, acting, and technical artistry.
A Sweep for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another”
“One Battle After Another” didn’t just win Best Picture; director Paul Thomas Anderson also took home the award for Best Director. Ryan Coogler was named runner-up for his work on “Sinners.” This double win positions Anderson’s film as a frontrunner as awards season progresses.
Gender-Neutral Categories and Stellar Performances
For the fourth consecutive year, the LAFCA Awards featured gender-neutral acting categories. Rose Byrne and Ethan Hawke were jointly recognized for their lead performances in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” and “Blue Moon,” respectively. In the supporting performance category, Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”) and Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”) emerged as winners.
Technical Achievements Shine
Beyond the acting and directing accolades, the LAFCA honored exceptional technical work. Adolpho Veloso’s cinematography in “Train Dreams” was the first award announced, while Hannah Beachler received recognition for her production design on “Sinners.” The editing team of Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie were lauded for their work on “Marty Supreme.”
International and Experimental Film Recognized
The awards also extended to international and experimental cinema. The Secret Agent was named Best Film Not in the English Language, and also secured the runner-up position for Best Picture. Albert Serra’s “Afternoons of Solitude” received the Douglas Edwards Experimental Film Prize, with a special award going to Thom Andersen.
A Lifetime Achievement for Philip Kaufman
The LAFCA previously announced in October that filmmaker and screenwriter Philip Kaufman would receive this year’s Career Achievement Award. “Intrepid doesn’t even begin to describe a director who…inspired the NC-17 rating,” said a LAFCA representative. The association celebrated Kaufman as “a criminally underappreciated director” whose work spans diverse genres and demonstrates remarkable versatility.
LAFCA Awards as Oscar Bellwether
The LAFCA’s choices often foreshadow Oscar nominations. Last year, “Anora” won Best Picture from the LAFCA and subsequently earned an Oscar nomination, ultimately winning the Academy Award. This history suggests “One Battle After Another” could be a serious contender in the upcoming Oscar race.
Full List of Winners
Here’s a complete rundown of this year’s LAFCA winners:
- Best Picture: “One Battle After Another” (Runner-up: “The Secret Agent”)
- Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” (Runner-up: Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”)
- Best Lead Performance: Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” and Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon” (Runners-up: Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme,” and Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent”)
- Best Supporting Performance: Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value,” and Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another” (Runners-up: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value,” and Andrew Scott, “Blue Moon”)
- Best Screenplay: Jafar Panahi, “It Was Just an Accident” (Runner-up: Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby”)
- Best Documentary/Nonfiction: “My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow” (Runner-up: “The Perfect Neighbor”)
- Best Cinematography: Adolpho Veloso, “Train Dreams” (Runner-up: Autumn Durald Arkapaw, “Sinners”)
- Best Music/Score: Kangding Ray, “Sirāt” (Runner-up: Ludwig Göransson, “Sinners”)
- Best Production Design: Hannah Beachler, “Sinners” (Runner-up: Tamara Deverell, “Frankenstein”)
- Best Editing: Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme” (Runner-up: Andy Jurgensen, “One Battle After Another”)
- Best Animation: “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” (Runner-up: “KPop Demon Hunters”)
- Best Film Not in the English Language: “The Secret Agent” (Runner-up: “It Was Just an Accident”)
- Douglas Edwards Experimental Film Prize: Albert Serra’s “Afternoons of Solitude”
- Douglas Edwards Experimental Film Special Award: Thom Andersen
- New Generation: Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby”
The LAFCA awards serve as an important early indicator of critical acclaim and momentum as the film industry heads into the heart of awards season.
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