30th Annual Critics Choice Awards

Yesterday the Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced their nominations but before getting into them have to share the changes the organization suffered while I was in silence mode.

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) is a group of broadcast, radio and online critics as well as entertainment journalists who review films and documentaries as well as scripted and unscripted television.

Founded 28 years ago as the Broadcast Film Critics Association by Joey Berlin, Rod Lurie and 42 founding members, the CCA is now the largest critics organization in the USA and Canada with more than 580 members.

The CCA was officially formed in 2019 with the merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and its sister organization, the Broadcast Television Journalists Association. So, this means there is no longer a Broadcast Film Critics Association and now is the Critics Choice Association the one that presents the CCMovie Awards, CCSuper Awards, CCReal TV Awards, CCTelevision Awards, and CCDocumentary Awards plus Celebrations event of BlacK Cinema and Television, Latino Cinema and TV, and Asian Pacific Cinema and TV.

The last I remember -before silence- is that when the Golden Globes went out of the air, this awards tried to replace them and even got their award ceremony on January 9th as the Golden Globes always did. Now that seems the Golden Globes could start to get some major steam we will see what happens and which group prevails or if each find their own niche.

Let's go back to the nominations. Conclave and Wiked lead with 11 nominations each followed by Dune: Part Two and Emilia Pérez with 10 each. This award has too-many nominees in each category which has potential to become a star studded event but this year the show will be broadcast on E! which might be less attracted to actors' publicists.

Awards show will be hosted by Chelsea Handler, which will broadcast LIVE on E! on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at 7:00pm ET from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The show will also be available to stream the next day on Peacock.

The Nominees

Best Picture
A Complete Unknown, James Mangold, USA
Anora, Sean Baker, USA
Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia
Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France 
Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross, USA
The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Sing Sing, Greg Kwedar, USA
The Substance, Coralie Fargeat, UK, France and USA
Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 

Best Animated Feature
Inside Out 2, Kelsey Mann, USA
Memoir of A Snail, Adam Elliot, Australia
Straume (Flow), Gints Zilbalodis, Latvia, France and Belgium
The Wild Robot, Chris Sanders, USA and Japan
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Merlin Crossingham and Nick Park, UK and France

Best Comedy
A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg, USA and Poland
Deadpool & Wolverine, Shawn Levy, USA, UK, New Zealand and Canada
Hit Man, Richard Linklater, USA
My Old Ass, Megan Park, UK, USA and Canada
Saturday Night, Jason Reitman, USA
Thelma, Josh Margolin, USA and Switzerland

Best Foreign Language Film
All We Imagine as Light, Payal Kapadia, France, India, Netherlands, and Luxembourg
Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Straume (Flow), Gints Zilbalodis, Latvia, France and Belgium
I'm Still Here, Walter Salles, Brazil and France
Kneecap, Rich Peppiatt, Ireland and UK
دانه‌ی انجیر معابد Daneh Anjeer Moghadas (The Seed of the Sacred Fig), Mohammad Rasoulof,  Germany and France

Best Director
Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Sean Baker for Anora, Sean Baker, USA
Edward Berger for Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Brady Corbet for The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Jon M. Chu for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Coralie Fargeat for The Substance, Coralie Fargeat, UK, France and USA
RaMell Ross for Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross, USA
Denis Villeneuve for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia

Best Original Screenplay
Sean Baker for Anora, Sean Baker, USA
Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum, and Alex David for September 5, Tim Fehlbaum, Germany
Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold for The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Jesse Eisenberg for A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg, USA and Poland
Coralie Fargeat for The Substance, Coralie Fargeat, UK, France and USA
Justin Kuritzkes for Challengers, Luca Guadagnino,  Italy and USA

Best Adapted Screenplay
Jacques Audiard for Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Greg Kwedarand Clint Bentley for Sing Sing, Greg Kwedar, USA
RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes for Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross, USA
Peter Straughan for Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia

Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo in Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Karla Sofía Gascón in Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Hard Truths, Mike Leigh, UK and Spain
Angelina Jolie in Maria, Pablo Larraín, Italy, Germany, Chile and USA
Mikey Madison in Anora, Sean Baker, USA
Demi Moore in The Substance, Coralie Fargeat, UK, France and USA

Best Supporting Actress
Danielle Deadwyler in The Piano Lesson, Malcolm Washington, USA
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor in Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross, USA
Ariana Grande in Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Margaret Qualley in The Substance, Coralie Fargeat, UK, France and USA
Isabella Rossellini in Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Zoe Saldaña in Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France

Best Actor
Adrien Brody in The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Timothée Chalamet in A Complete Unknown, James Mangold, USA
Daniel Craig in Queer, Luca Guadagnino, Italy and USA
Colman Domingo in Sing Sing, Greg Kwedar, USA
Ralph Fiennes in Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Hugh Grant in Heretic, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, USA and Canada

Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov in Anora, Sean Baker, USA
Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg, USA and Poland
Clarence Maclin in Sing Sing, Greg Kwedar, USA
Edward Norton in A Complete Unknown, James Mangold, USA
Guy Pearce in The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Denzel Washington in Gladiator II, Ridley Scott, USA, UK, Morocco, Canada and Malta

Best Young Actress/Actor
Alyla Browne in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, George Miller, Australia and USA
Elliott Heffernan in Blitz, Steve McQueen, UK and USA
Maisy Stella in My Old Ass, Megan Park, UK, USA and Canada
Izaac Wang in Didi, Sean Wang, USA
Alisha Weir in Abigail,  Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, USA, Ireland and Canada
Zoe Ziegler in Janet Planet, Annie Baker, USA and UK

Best Acting Ensemble
Anora, Sean Baker, USA
Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Saturday Night
Sing Sing, Greg Kwedar, USA
Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 

Best Cinematography
Jarin Blaschke for Nosferatu, Robert Eggers, Czech Republic and USA
Alice Brooks for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Lol Crawley for The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Stéphane Fontaine for Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Greig Fraser for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia
Jomo Fray for Nickel Boys, RaMell Ross, USA

Best Production Design
Judy Becker, Patricia Cuccia for The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Nathan Crowley, Lee Sandales for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Suzie Davies for Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Craig Lathrop for Nosferatu
Arthur Max, Jille Azis, Elli Griff for Gladiator II, Ridley Scott, USA, UK, Morocco, Canada and Malta
Patrice Vermette, Shane Vieau for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia

Best Editing
Sean Baker for Anora, Sean Baker, USA
Marco Costa for Challengers, Luca Guadagnino,  Italy and USA
Nick Emerson for Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
David Jancso for The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Joe Walker for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia
Hansjörg Weißbrich for September 5, Tim Fehlbaum, Germany

Best Costume Design
Lisy Christl for Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Linda Muir for Nosferatu, Robert Eggers, Czech Republic and USA
Massimo Cantini Parrini for Maria, Pablo Larraín, Italy, Germany, Chile and USA
Paul Tazewell for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Jacqueline West for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia
Janty Yates and Dave Crossman for Gladiator II, Ridley Scott, USA, UK, Morocco, Canada and Malta

Best Hair and Makeup
Christine Blundell, Lesa Warrener, and Neal Scanlan for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Tim Burton, USA and France
Hair and Makeup Team for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia
Stéphanie Guillon, Frédérique Arguello, and Pierre-Olivier Persin for The Substance, Coralie Fargeat, UK, France and USA
Frances Hannon, Sarah Nuth, and Laura Blount for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Traci Loader, Suzanne Stokes-Munton, and David White for Nosferatu, Robert Eggers, Czech Republic and USA
Mike Marino, Sarah Graalman, and Aaron Saucier for A Different Man, Aaron Schimberg, USA

Best Visual Effects
Mark Bakowski, Pietro Ponti, Nikki Penny, and Neil Corbould for Gladiator II, Ridley Scott, USA, UK, Morocco, Canada and Malta
Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, Paul Corbould, and David Shirk for Wicked, Jon M. Chu, USA, Japan, Canada, Iceland and UK 
Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia
Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft, and Peter Stubbs for Better Man, Michael Gracey, 
Bryan Jones, Chervin Shafaghi, Pierre Olivier-Persin, and Jean Miel for The Substance, Coralie Fargeat, UK, France and USA
Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story, and Rodney Burke for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Wes Ball, USA and Australia

Best Song
Andrew Wyatt, Miley Cyrus and Lykke Li for Beautiful That Way in The Last Showgirl, Gia Coppola, USA
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Luca Guadagnino for Compress/Repress in Challengers, Luca Guadagnino,  Italy and USA
Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón, Camille for El Mal in Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Kristen Wiig for Harper and Will Go West in Will & Harper, Josh Greenbaum, USA
Maren Morris for Kiss the Sky in The Wild Robot, Chris Sanders, USA and Japan
Selena Gomez for Mi Camino in Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France

Best Score
Volker Bertelmann for Conclave, Edward Berger, USA and UK
Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist, Brady Corbet, UK, USA and Hungary
Kris Bowers for The Wild Robot, Chris Sanders, USA and Japan
Clément Ducol and Camille for Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard, France
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Challengers, Luca Guadagnino,  Italy and USA
Hans Zimmer for Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve, Canada, USA, UAE, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Jordan and Gambia

To check nominations at official site go here.