The New York Film Critics Circle anointed “Drive My Car” as the Best Film of 2021 and now the West Coast critics have had their say. After almost six hours of overall deliberations, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association also selected “Drive My Car” as their Best Film of the year with “The Power of the Dog” as runner-up. “Drive’s” Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe also won Best Screenplay.
READ MORE: “Drive My Car” is the New York Film Critics Association’s top film of 2021
Jane Campion also took Best Director for “Power of the Dog” and the film won two other awards.
Best actress went to Penelope Cruz for “Parallel Mothers” while “Red Rocket’s” Simon Rex took Best Actor.
In the supporting actor category, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Vincent London tied for “The Power of the Dog” and “Titane,” respectfully. Ariana DeBose took Best Supporting Actress for Joshua L. Pearson. “West Side Story.” Questlove’s acclaimed doc “Summer of Soul” took Best Documentary/nonfiction film as well as best editing for Joshua L. Pearson.
In a massive surprise, Best Production Design went to Steve Saklad for “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar.” Best Music went to Alberto Iglesias for “Parallel Mothers.”
There was a delay in the voting as the organization debated renaming the Foreign Film category and settled on Best Film Not In The English Language. The winner this year was “Petite Maman.”
In another tie, Shatara Michelle Ford and Tatiana Huezowon the Next Generation award for “Test Pattern” and “Prayers for the Stolen,” respectfully. The organization also honored “The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin)” with The Douglas Edwards Experimental Film prize.
Additionally, LAFCA honored the L.A. Rebellion filmmakers, in a Special Citation for their contributions to cinema. Major figures include Charles Burnett, Larry Clark, Julie Dash, Zeinabu Irene Davis, Jamaa Fanaka, Haile Gerima, Alile Sharon Larkin, and Billy Woodberry.
Here are the complete LA Film Critics Association winners for 2021.
Best Film: “Drive My Car”
Runner Up: “The Power of the Dog”
Best Director: Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
Runner Up: Ryusuke Hamaguchi, “Drive My Car”
Best Film Not In The English Language: “Petite Maman”
Runner Up: “Quo Vadis, Aida?”
Best Documentary/Nonfiction Film: “Summer of Soul”
Runner Up: “Procession”
Best Screenplay: Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, “Drive My Car”
Runner Up: Paul Thomas Anderson, “Licorice Pizza”
Best Actor: Simon Rex, “Red Rocket”
Runner Up: Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”
Best Actress: Penelope Cruz, “Parallel Mothers”
Runner Up: Renate Reinsve, “The Worst Person in the World”
Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”
Runner Up: Aunjanue Ellis, “King Richard”
Best Supporting Actor: Vincent Lindon, “Titane” and Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog” (Tie)
Best Editing: Joshua L. Pearson, “Summer of Soul”
Runner Up: Andy Jurgensen, “Licorice Pizza”
Best Production Design: Steve Saklad, “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar”
Runner Up: Tamara Deverell, “Nightmare Alley”
Best Music/Score: Alberto Iglesias, “Parallel Mothers”
Runner Up: Jonny Greenwood, “The Power of the Dog” and “Spencer”
Best Cinematography: Ari Wegner, “The Power of the Dog”
Runner Up: Greg Fraiser, “Dune”
Best Animation: “Flee”
Runner Up: “Belle”
