The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) has announced that Star Wars: The Force Awakens has earned a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Picture. The film was not screened for BFCA voters in time for the initial nominations balloting, but after members of the nation’s largest film critics group saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens last week it was decided to hold a special referendum yesterday to determine if it would have been nominated if the BFCA membership had been able to consider it.
The exception was made for only the Best Picture category and all other Critics’ Choice Award nominations remain as previously announced. Star Wars: The Force Awakens joins The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Carol, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, Sicario and Spotlight as Critics’ Choice Award Best Picture nominees.
While making an amendment to the Critics’ Choice Awards nominations is highly unusual, having an 11th Best Picture nominee is not unprecedented. In 2000, Cast Away was similarly screened too late for normal consideration and the BFCA included it among 11 Best Picture nominees.
It is the purpose of the Critics’ Choice Awards to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. BFCA made this exception to its rules and included Star Wars: The Force Awakens to serve this purpose.
Winners will be revealed at the 21st annual Critics’ Choice Awards show on January 17th, televised live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on A&E, Lifetime and LMN, and hosted by T.J. Miller.
The 21st Annual Critics’ Choice Awards” will be produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment.