The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is naming the best films and performances of 2022.
Marking its 48th annual recognition of cinema’s finest outings, it will also serve as the first year the group switches to gender-neutral acting categories, which they announced back in October. Instead, they will recognize two leading and two supporting performances for its winners.
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As previously announced, filmmaker Claire Denis will receive the association’s 2022 career achievement award. This year’s winners will be honored alongside Denis at the upcoming ceremony.
Since 2000, only four of the LAFCA’s selections for best picture failed to garner an Oscar nod for best picture — “About Schmidt” (2002), “American Splendor” (2003), “WALL-E” (2008) and “Small Axe” (2020) — the latter of which was not eligible for the Academy Awards. Notable in the same timeframe, only four of LAFCA’s selections have gone on to win the Oscar for best picture, and all since the Academy expanded its lineup from five to 10 nominees: “The Hurt Locker” (2009), “Spotlight” (2015), “Moonlight” (2016) and “Parasite” (2019).
Last year, the LAFCA awarded Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Japanese drama “Drive My Car” best picture, which kickstarted its successful awards campaign that resulted in four Oscar nods, including the Academy’s top category. It won best international feature.
The precursor season began with the New York Film Critics Circle and National Board of Review naming Todd Field’s “Tár” and Joseph Kosinski’s “Top Gun: Maverick” best picture at each of them respectively.
The list of LAFCA winners is below and will be updated with commentary as they are announced:
Best Picture:
Runner-up:
Best Director:
Runner-up:
Leading Performances:
Runners-up:
Supporting Performances: Dolly De Leon, “Triangle of Sadness” (Neon) and Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Runners-up: Jessie Buckley, “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) and Brian Tyree Henry for “Causeway” (A24/Apple Original Films)
Best Screenplay:
Runner-up:
Best Cinematography: Michal Dymek, “EO” (Janus Films and Sideshow)
Runner-up: Hoyte van Hoytema, “Nope” (Universal Pictures)
Best Editing: Blair McClendon, “Aftersun” (A24)
Runner-up: Monika Willi, “Tár” (Focus Features)
Best Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter, “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios)
Runner-up: Jason Kisvarday, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Best Music Score: M.M. Keeravani, “RRR” (Variance Films)
Runner-up: Paweł Mykietyn, “EO” (Janus Films and Sideshow)
Best Foreign Language:
Runner-up:
Best Documentary/Non-Fiction Film:
Runner-up:
Best Animation: “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix)
Runner-up: “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” (A24)
New Generation Award:
Runner-up:
Douglas Edwards Experimental Film Prize: “De Humani Corporis Fabrica”
Career Achievement Award: Claire Denis
To see the current rankings for each individual category, visit Variety’s Oscars Hub. Make sure to bookmark the 2022-2023 Awards Season calendar for all key dates and timelines for the season.
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