The National Board of Review has selected Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” the finest film of the year.
Anderson was also named best director, and Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman were chosen for their breakout performances in the coming-of-age comedy. The National Board of Review was founded in 1909 by a group of film fans, academics, and industry experts.
Will Smith took the best actor and Aunjanue Ellis took home the best-supporting actress for their roles in Richard Williams’ drama “King Richard.” Rachel Zegler, a novice, won the best actress for her work in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.”
Ciarán Hinds won best supporting actor for “Belfast,” Asghar Farhadi won the best script for “A Hero,” and Joel Coen won best-adapted screenplay for “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” which also won the best cinematography for Bruno Delbonnel.
The best-animated feature went to Disney’s “Encanto,” best foreign language film went to “A Hero,” best documentary went to Questlove’s “Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” and best ensemble went to Jeymes Samuel’s “The Harder They Fall.” The animated refugee documentary “Flee” will get freedom of speech award.
On Jan. 11, the awards will be presented at a gala event hosted by Willie Geist. Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” was named the finest picture of 2020 by the National Board of Review last year.
