51st Annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

Yesterday, December 7, the so-called "most poweful" group of American film critics voted their 2025 awards and not often they align with east coast critics but this time they did as their best film is One Battle After Another. The coincidence confirms predictions that Paul Thomas Anderson film is the top contender for #Oscars2026 and definitively Paul Thomas Anderson will get a nomination but this category is still an open race.

This another industry group that opts for gender neutral categories but, as they did in previous years. gave 2 awards in both lead and supporting performances, one female actor and the other male actor. Sorry, but for these type of results think I prefer gender clarification as tends to give more opportunities to women and men in their own crafts; so please stop, there should be Best Actress and Best Actor in lead and supporting performances. Sigh.

Group makes Ethan Hawke relevant for Oscars consideration and joins what many industry pundints see as cutthroat match between Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet. Also projects The Secret Agent and Sirāt in more categories than International Feature Film.

Still believe is too-early for Tally but up-to-now it is clear one trend, critics preference for One Battle After Another.

The Winners

Best Picture: One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Runner-up: O Agente Secreto (The Secret Agent), Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil, France, Netherlands and Germany

Best Film Not in The English Language: O Agente Secreto (The Secret Agent), Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil, France, Netherlands and Germany
Runner-up:It Was Just an Accident , Jafar Panahi, Iran, France, Luxembourg, and USA

Best Documentary/Non-Fiction Film: My Undesirable Friends: Part I - Last Air in Moscow, Julia Loktev, USA and Russia
Runner-up: The Perfect Neighbor, Geeta Gandbhir, USA

Best Animation: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Liane-Cho Han Jin Kuang and Maïlys Vallade, France and Belgium
Runner-up: KPop Demon Hunters, Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang, USA and Canada

New Generation Award: Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby, Eva Victor, USA, Spain and France

Best Director:Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Runner-up: Ryan Coogler for Sinners, Ryan Coogler, USA. Australia and Canada

Best Screenplay: Jafar Panahi for It Was Just an Accident, Jafar Panahi, Iran, France, Luxembourg, and USA
Runner-up: Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby, Eva Victor, USA, Spain and France

Best Lead Performance
Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Mary Bronstein, USA
Ethan Hawke in Blue Moon, Richard Linklater, USA and Ireland
Runners-up
Timothée Chalamet in One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Warner Moura in O Agente Secreto (The Secret Agent), Kleber Mendonça Filho, Brazil, France, Netherlands and Germany

Best Suporting Performance
Teyana Taylor in One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Stellan Skarsgård in Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, Germany, Denmark, France Sweden, UK and Turkey
Runner-up
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value), Joachim Trier, Norway, Germany, Denmark, France Sweden, UK and Turkey
Andrew Scott in Blue Moon, Richard Linklater, USA and Ireland

Best Cinematography: Adelfo Veloso for Train Dreams, Clint Bentley, USA 
Runner-up: Autumn Durald Arkapaw for Sinners Ryan Coogler, USA. Australia and Canada

Best Production Design: Hannah Beachler for Sinners, Ryan Coogler, USA. Australia and Canada
Runner-up: Tamara Deverell for Frankenstein, Guillermo del Toro, USA and Mexico

Best Editing: Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie for One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Runner-up: Andy Jurgensen for One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA

Best Music Score: Kangding Ray for Sirāt, Oliver Laxe, Spain and France
Runner-up: Ludwing Göransson for Sinners, Ryan Coogler, USA. Australia and Canada

Career Achievement: Philip Kaufman
Special Citation: Judy Kim of Gardenia Cinema

The Douglas Edwards Experimental Award
Tardes de Soledad (Afternoons of Solitude), Albert Serra, Spain, France and Portugal
Thom Andersen for His Body of Work

To check winners at official site go here.