The New York Film Critics Circle which named writer-director Richard Linklater’s film, Boyhood, as the Best Picture of 2014. Boyhood also earned Best Director and Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette).
Best Screenplay honor was director/writer Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. Director Laura Poitras’ documentary Citizenfour won the Non-Fiction Film category. Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook won for Best First Film. Pawel Pawlikowski’s Polish film Ida won for Best Foreign Film while The LEGO Movie was Best Animated Film.
Darius Khondji took the Best Cinematography award for The Immigrant.
Marion Cotillard was named Best Leading Acress for her performances in two films–The Immigrant, and Two Days, One Night. Timothy Spall was Best Lead Actor for Mr. Turner. And J.K. Simmons earned Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash.
The complete list of winners from this year's 2014 vote:
2014 Awards
Best Picture Boyhood
Best Director Richard Linklater BOYHOOD
Best Screenplay THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Best Actress Marion Cotillard THE IMMIGRANT, TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
Best Actor Timothy Spall MR. TURNER
Best Supporting Actress Patricia Arquette BOYHOOD
Best Supporting Actor J.K. Simmons WHIPLASH
Best Cinematographer Darius Khondji THE IMMIGRANT
Best Animated Film The LEGO Movie
Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary) Citizenfour
Best Foreign Film Ida
Best First Film Jennifer Kent THE BABADOOK
Special Award Adrienne Mancia
New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC)
Founded in 1935, the Circle's membership includes critics from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, and qualifying on-line general-interest publications. Every year in December the organization meets in New York to vote on awards for the previous calendar year's films.
Among the categories: best picture, director, screenplay, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, cinematography, animated movie and best first film. Special stand-alone awards are also given to individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to the art of cinema, including producers, directors, actors, writers, critics, historians, film restorers and service organizations.
The Circle's awards are often viewed as harbingers of the Oscar nominations, which are announced each February. The Circle's awards are also viewed — perhaps more accurately — as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring esthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures. A complete list of previous winners is available on this site, along with a list of current members with links to their publications.