Marc Forster's JM Barriedrama Finding Neverland fromMiramax Films claimed the first major honour of the awards season today (Wed)when it was named film of the year by the National Board of Review (NBR).
Alejandro Amenabar'seuthanasia drama The Sea Inside,which Fine Line is due to release on Dec 17, was declared top foreign filmwhile Zana Briski and Ross Kaufman's Calcutta-set Born Into Brothels is the NBR's top documentary of the year.
Jamie Foxx fuelled his Oscaraspirations with the best actor award for Ray, while Annette Bening took top actress honours for BeingJulia. Thomas Haden Church and LauraLinney were named in the best supporting actor categories for theirperformances in Sideways and Kinsey respectively. Church was nominated in the role foran Independent Spirit Award yesterday.
In other awards, MichaelMann was named best director for Collateral, The Incredibles was best animation, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylortook best adapted screenplay honours for Sideways and Charlie Kaufman's Eternal Sunshine Of TheSpotless Mind won best originalscreenplay.
Zach Braff won bestdirectorial debut for Garden Stateand the ensemble award went to Closer, which stars Nathalie Portman, Clive Owen, Julia Roberts and Jude Law.Jeff Bridges receives the career achievement award, and the producer award goesto Jerry Bruckheimer.
The honorees will receivetheir awards at the annual gala on Jan 11, 2005 in New York City.
THE 2004 NATIONAL BOARD OFREVIEW WINNERS:
TOP 10 FILMS OF2004:
1 FindingNeverland (Miramax, dir: Marc Forster) - BestFilm
2 The Aviator(Miramax, dir: Martin Scorsese)
3 Closer (Sony Pictures Classics, dir: MikeNichols)
4 MillionDollar Baby (WarnerBros, dir. Clint Eastwood)
5 Sideways (Fox Searchlight, dir: Alexander Payne)
6 Kinsey (Fox Searchlight, dir: Bill Condon)
7 Vera Drake (Fine Line, dir: Mike Leigh)
8 Ray (Universal, dir: Taylor Hackford)
9 Collateral (DreamWorks, dir: Michael Mann)
10 HotelRwanda (UA/Lions Gate International dir: TerryGeorge)
TOP FIVE FOREIGNFILMS OF 2004
1 The SeaInside (Fine Line, dir:Alejandro Amenabar)
2 BadEducation (Sony PicturesClassics, dir: Pedro Almodovar)
3 Maria FullOf Grace (Fine Line,dir: Joshua Marston)
4 LesChoristes (Miramax, dir:Christophe Barratier)
5 TheMotorcycle Diaries (FocusFeatures, dir: Walter Salles)
TOP FIVEDOCUMENTARIES OF 2004
1 Born IntoBrothels (THINKFilm,dir: Zana Briski, Ross Kaufman) - Best Documentary
2 Z Channel:A Magnificent Obsession
3 Paper Clips
4 Super Size Me
5 The Story Of The Weeping Camel
BEST ACTOR
Jamie Foxx, Ray
BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening, BeingJulia
BEST SUPPORTINGACTOR
Thomas Hayden Church, Sideways
BEST SUPPORTINGACTRESS
Laura Linney, Kinsey
BEST ACTING BYAN ENSEMBLE
Closer
BREAKTHROUGHPERFORMANCE ACTOR
Topher Grace, In GoodCompany and P.S.
BREAKTHROUGHPERFORMANCE ACTRESS
Emmy Rossum, The Phantom Of The Opera
BEST DIRECTOR
Michael Mann, Collateral
BEST DIRECTORIALDEBUT
Zach Braff, GardenState
BEST ADAPTEDSCREENPLAY
Sideways, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor
BEST ORIGINALSCREENPLAY
EternalSunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Charlie Kaufman
BEST ANIMATEDFEATURE
TheIncredibles
OUTSTANDINGPRODUCTION DESIGN
House Of Flying Daggers
CAREERACHIEVEMENT
Jeff Bridges
SPECIALFILM-MAKING ACHIEVEMENT
Clint Eastwood, forproducing, directing, acting, and scoring Million Dollar Baby
WILLIAM KEVERSON AWARD FOR FILM HISTORY
Richard Schickel
PRODUCERS AWARD
Jerry Bruckheimer
SPECIALRECOGNITION OF FILMS THAT REFLECT THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Fahrenheit 9/11
The Passion Of The Christ
Conspiracy Of Silence
SPECIAL MENTIONFOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM-MAKING
The Assassination Of Richard Nixon
Before Sunset
The Door In The Floor
Enduring Love
Eternal Sunshine Of TheSpotless Mind
Facing Windows
Garden State
A Home At The End Of TheWorld
Imaginary Heroes
Since Otar Left
Stage Beauty
Undertow
The Woodsman
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