We are starting to see a trend in the 2015 awards season– Spotlight takes the lead with the top prize while an eclectic mix of other films (Mad Max: Fury Road, Carol, Broolyn, etc.) earn mentions elsewhere. This was further evidenced as the San Francisco Film Critics Circle picked their choices for the best in the past year of film. Tom McCarthy’s journalism drama Spotlight won Best Picture, but it was George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road that earned the most mentions winning Director, Cinematography and Film Editing.
Perhaps the most interesting selection on the San Francisco list was the inclusion of trans performer Mya Taylor in the Supporting Actress category for her acclaimed work in the indie comedy Tangerine. While that film is likely not to find itself anywhere near the eventual Oscar line-up, the film has been favorite among critics since debuting at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Shot on an iPhone, Tangerine humorously follows the misadventures of two street workers on Christmas Eve in Los Angeles. Notably, distributor Magnolia Pictures has cemented an awards campaign on the film and its trans stars Taylor and Kitania “Kiki” Rodriguez. Taylor also recently won the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Performer.
Check out the full list of San Francisco Film Critics Circle winners:
- PICTURE: Spotlight
- DIRECTOR: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Raod
- ACTOR: Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
- ACTRESS: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
- SUPPORTING ACTOR: Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
- SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mya Taylor, Tangerine
- ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Love & Mercy– written by Oren Moverman, Michael Alan Lerner
- ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Brooklyn– written by Nick Hornby
- ANIMATED FEATURE: Anomalisa
- DOCUMENTARY: Listen to Me Marlon
- FOREIGN FILM: Son of Saul
- CINEMATOGRAPHY: Mad Max: Fury Road– John Seale
- PRODUCTION DESIGN: Carol– Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
- FILM EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road– Margaret Sixel
- MARLON RIGGS AWARD (for courage & vision in the Bay Area film community): Frank Lee
- SPECIAL CITATION (for under-appreciated cinema): The Forbidden Room– directed by Guy Maddin
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