Paul Thomas Anderson's coming-of-age comedy Licorice Pizza has been selected 2021’s Best Film by the National Board of Review.
Aside from this, two more awards were given to the MGM/United Artists film, including outstanding director for Anderson and breakthrough performance for Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman.
"There is nothing like Licorice Pizza to remind us of the joy, hope, and excitement that great cinema can inspire in a time of transition and uncertainty," NBR president Annie Schulhof mentioned in a statement.
King Richard (best actor for Will Smith and supporting actress for Aunjanue Ellis), The Tragedy of Macbeth (best adapted screenplay and cinematography), and A Hero (best adapted screenplay and cinematography) (best original screenplay and best foreign-language film).
Meanwhile, Rachel Zegler of West Side Story won the prize for best actress, while Ciarán Hinds of Belfast won the award for best supporting actor. Pig's Michael Sarnoski was named best director debut, Encanto was named best animated picture, Summer of Soul was named best documentary, The Harder They Fall was named best ensemble, and Flee was named the NBR Freedom of Expression Award winner.
A panel of cinema aficionados, professionals, scholars, filmmakers, and students voted on the organization's honors.
The recipients of the awards will be honored at a gala ceremony on January 11, 2022.
Below is a complete list of awards and winners of this year’s National Board of Review:
Best film: Licorice Pizza
Best director: Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Best actor: Will Smith, King Richard
Best actress: Rachel Zegler, West Side Story
Best supporting actor: Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
Best supporting actress: Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard
Best original screenplay: Asghar Farhadi, A Hero
Best adapted screenplay: Joel Coen, The Tragedy of Macbeth
Breakthrough performance: Alana Haim Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza
Best directorial debut: Michael Sarnoski, Pig
Best animated feature: Encanto
Best foreign language film: A Hero
Best documentary: Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Best ensemble: The Harder They Fall
Outstanding achievement in cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel, The Tragedy of Macbeth
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Flee
Top Films (in alphabetical order)
Belfast
Don’t Look Up
Dune
King Richard
The Last Duel
Nightmare Alley
Red Rocket
The Tragedy of Macbeth
West Side Story
Top 5 Foreign Language Films (in alphabetical order)
Benedetta
Lamb
Lingui, The Sacred Bonds
Titane
The Worst Person in the World
Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order)
Ascension
Attica
Flee
The Rescue
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order)
The Card Counter
C’mon C’mon
CODA
The Green Knight
Holler
Jockey
Old Henry
Pig
Shiva Baby
The Souvenir Part II
