Anora, the tragicomedy smash from Neon, has been selected by the members of the Austin Film Critics Association as the best film of 2024 in their year-end awards.
The AFCA celebrated the beginning of its own 20th anniversary year with the announcement of the annual awards in which Anora picked up six awards. Aside from best picture, writer/director Sean Baker scored a double whammy by winning best director and best original screenplay. On the acting side, Yura Borisov won best supporting actor for his role as tenderhearted enforcer Igor, while Mikey Madison hit her own one-two punch, winning not only best actress but also being selected by members as one of the five co-recipients of the Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Award (named after the late cofounder of the AFCA).
The McCurdy Award is one of two that make the AFCA unique among all critics associations, the other being the Best Austin Film award, given to a film whose director was resident during production. In one of the most competitive years in its history, with 17 films eligible for consideration, the prize went to Sing Sing, writer/director Greg Kwedar’s sensitive and stirring drama set in the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison. However, the plaudits for the film didn’t stop there, as it also snagged best actor for Colman Domingo, best adapted screenplay for Kwedar and his longtime collaborator, Clint Bentley, and best ensemble, while Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin also joined the list of breakouts alongside Madison, Vera Drew (The People’s Joker), Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge), and Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding).
AFCA Top 10 Films of 2024
1. Anora
2. The Brutalist
3. The Substance
4. Sing Sing
5. Love Lies Bleeding
6. Nickel Boys
7. Dune: Part Two
8. Nosferatu
9: Conclave
10. Wicked
Other Categories
Best Austin Film: Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kwedar
Best Film: Anora
Best Director: Sean Baker, Anora
Best Actress: Mikey Madison, Anora
Best Actor: Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Best Supporting Actress: Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Best Supporting Actor: Yura Borisov, Anora
Best Ensemble: Sing Sing
Best Original Screenplay: Sean Baker, Anora
Best Adapted Screenplay: Greg Kwedar & Clint Bentley, Sing Sing
Best Cinematography: Lol Crawley, The Brutalist
Best Editing: Coralie Fargeat, Jérôme Eltabet, & Valentin Feron, The Substance
Best Original Score: Daniel Blumberg, The Brutalist
Best International Film: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Best Documentary: Will & Harper
Best Animated Film: The Wild Robot
Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital Performance: Lupita Nyong’o, The Wild Robot
Best Stuntwork: The Fall Guy
Best First Film: Arkasha Stevenson, The First Omen
The Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Award:
Vera Drew, The People’s Joker
Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing
Mikey Madison, Anora
Katy O’Brian, Love Lies Bleeding
Aaron Pierre, Rebel Ridge
The Austin Film Critics Association includes critics for The Austin Chronicle, Cinapse, KOOP, Fangoria, One of Us, Double Toasted, and more. Find more information at austinfilmcritics.org.
This article appears in January 3 • 2025.
