It’s been a week of year-end awards announcements and the good news continued for “Wicked” and “The Brutalist.” As expected, the respective NBR and NYFCC Best Films of 2024 made AFI’s Top 10 list of motion pictures. They were joined by “Anora,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “Emilia Perez,” “Nickel Boys,” “A Real Pain,” and “Sing Sing.”
READ MORE: “Wicked” wins Best Film from National Board of Review
For those hoping the AFI list is a bellwether of the Best Picture race, a word of caution. Since the Oscars went to a 10-nominee field in 2022 (2021 releases), the organization’s respective lists for 2023, 2022, and 2021 saw only eight of the 10 selections earn Best Picture nominations. In theory, that means potentially two of the honorees won’t make the cut. Then again, perhaps that trend will be broken this year.
Films that were unfortunately snubbed by AFI this year include “Challengers,” “September 5,” “The Piano Lesson,” “His Three Daughters,” “The Wild Robot,” “Inside Out 2,” “The Room Next Door,” “The Substance,” and “Nosferatu.” As complete international productions, “Blitz,” “Hard Truths,” and “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” were not eligible.
On the television side, AFI once again recognized “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” and “Hacks” while spotlighting new programs such as “A Man on the Inside,” “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Shogun,” “The Penguin,” and “True Detective: Night Country.” “Shrinking” made the list for the first time for its second season.
Notable omissions on the television list include “Fallout,” “Agatha All Along,” “English Teacher,” “Ripley,” “Masters of the Air,” “Under the Bridge,” and “Disclaimer,” among others.
AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
ANORA
THE BRUTALIST
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
CONCLAVE
DUNE: PART TWO
EMILIA PÉREZ
NICKEL BOYS
A REAL PAIN
SING SING
WICKED
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
THE BEAR
HACKS
A MAN ON THE INSIDE
MR. AND MRS. SMITH
NOBODY WANTS THIS
THE PENGUIN
SHOGUN
SHRINKING
TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY
AFI SPECIAL AWARD
BABY REINDEER
The AFI jury is always a mix of critics, media, and industry professionals with a few – emphasis on a few – AMPAS members in the mix. This year’s members included Sterlin Harjo, Gale Anne Hurd, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Jane Seymour; Mark Harris, Leonard Maltin, and scholars from Syracuse University, the University of Southern California, and the University of California, Santa Cruz; members of the AFI Board of Trustees; critics Ann Hornaday, Mary McNamara, Janet Maslin, and Peter Travers, among others.
This year’s honorees will be celebrated at the annual AFI lunch on Friday, January 10 in Beverly Hills.
