2025 National Board of Review Award Winners

Yesterday the National Board of Review (NBR) announced its honorees and leading the pack is One Battle After Another by Paul Thomas Anderson winning 4 top awards, Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

Established in 1909, the NBR recognizes excellence in filmmaking and this year 265 films were viewed by a select grooup of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, academics and young professionals, many of which were followed by in-depth discussions with directors, actors, producers, screenwriters and cinematographers. Ballots were tabulated by the accounting firm of Lutz and Carr CPA.

This the second of the "Big Four" critics' groups to announce their winners; next Sunday the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) will announce their winners and will have to wait until January 3, 2026 for winners of the National Society of Film Critics (NSFC).

The honorees will be fêted at the NBR Awards Gala hosted by Willie Geist on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City.

The List

Best Film : One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA

Best International Film: It Was Just an Accident, Jafar Panahi, Iran, France, Luxembourg, and USA Best Documentary: Cover-Up, Mark Obenhaus and Laura Poitras, USA
Best Animated Feature: Arco, Ugo Bienvenu, France

Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Best Directorial Debut: Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby, Eva Victor, USA, Spain and France

Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler for Sinners, Ryan Coogler, USA
Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar for Train Dreams, Clint Bentley, USA

Best Actress: Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Mary Bronstein, USA
Best Supporting Actress: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, Germany, Denmark, France Sweden, UK and Turkey
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro in One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Breakthrough Performance: Chase Infiniti in One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA

Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw for Sinners, Ryan Coogler, USA
Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry: Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Christopher McQuarrie, USA and Norway 

Top Films Lists

Top Films (in alphabetical order)
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Frankenstein
Jay Kelly
Marty Supreme
Rental Family
Sinners
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mistery
Wicked: For Good

Top 5 International Films (in alphabetical order)
Left-Handed Girl
The Love That Remains
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirāt

Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order)
The Baltimorons
Bring Her Back
Father Mother Sister Brother
Friendship
Good Boy
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
The Mastermind
Rebuilding
Sorry, Baby
Urching

To read winners at official site go here.