Fargo, You Betcha

Fargo, Joel and Ethan Coen's dark comedy, has been named best picture of 1996 by the Society of Texas Film Critics (STFC). Frances McDormand, Fargo's pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson, was also named as best actress of the year by the society.

Other winners include Geoffrey Rush for best actor in Shine, Edward Norton for best supporting actor for his performances in both Primal Fear and The People vs. Larry Flynt, and Miranda Richardson as best supporting actress for her performances in both Evening Star and Kansas City.

The best director accolade went to John Sayles for the movie Lone Star, which also won the best original screenplay category. The best adapted screenplay distinction went to Anthony Minghella for The English Patient.

The best foreign language film distinction went to Ridicule, the French study of the withering power of wit in the court of Louis XVI. The society also went buggy for Microcosmos and named the insect study as best documentary of the year.

STFC president Joe Leydon (FW Weekly, San Antonio Current, KPRC-TV) announced the results of the society's vote on Thursday, December 19. The Society of Texas Film Critics was founded in 1994 and membership includes film critics from all major Texas cities. Austin members include Marjorie Baumgarten and Patrick Taggart of The Austin Chronicle and Ann Hornaday of the Austin American-Statesman.