The National Board of Review has named writer-director Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea 2016’s Best Film of the Year, highlighting the organization’s selections for year-end honors. Manchester by the Sea also earned Lonergan the Best Original Screenplay honor, Casey Affleck the Best Actor Award, and Lucas Hedges distinction as delivering the Best Breakthrough Performance by a Male. Amy Adams took the Best Actress mantle for Arrival. Barry Jenkins was dubbed Best Director for Moonlight. Best Adapted Screenplay went to Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese for Silence.
Here’s a full rundown of the National Board of Review’s award recipients:
Best Film: Manchester by the Sea
Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress: Amy Adams, Arrival
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese, Silence
Best Animated Feature: Kubo and the Two Strings
Breakthrough Performance (Male): Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Breakthrough Performance (Female): Royalty Hightower, The Fits
Best Directorial Debut: Trey Edward Shults, Krisha
Best Foreign Language Film: The Salesman
Best Documentary: O.J.: Made in America
Best Ensemble: Hidden Figures
Spotlight Award: Creative Collaboration of Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Cameraperson
Top Films
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
Hail, Caesar!
Hell or High Water
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Moonlight
Patriot’s Day
Silence
Sully
Top 5 Foreign Language Films
Elle
The Handmaiden
Julieta
Land of Mine
Neruda
Top 5 Documentaries
De Palma
The Eagle Huntress
Gleason
Life, Animated
Miss Sharon Jones!
Top 10 Independent Films
20th Century Women
Captain Fantastic
Creative Control
Eye in the Sky
The Fits
Green Room
Hello, My Name is Doris
Krisha
Morris from America
Sing Street
NBR President Annie Schulhof said, “Manchester by the Sea is a masterful film which explores love, loss, and redemption in a deeply moving and completely original way. We are thrilled to award it our Best Film, as well as to honor Barry Jenkins’ singular directorial vision for Moonlight.”
Manchester by the Sea is the latest citation of excellence by the National Board of Review, a tradition going back 107 years. This year, over 250 films were viewed by this select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, and screenwriters. Voting ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz & Carr, LLP.
The National Board of Review honors diverse members of the film community at their annual Awards Gala, which also acts as a fundraiser for student grant philanthropy. Willie Geist, host of NBC News’ Sunday TODAY and co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, will return to emcee this year’s gala, which will take place on January 4, 2017 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.