tar banshees

Source: Universal / Searchlight Pictures

‘Tár’, ‘The Banshees Of Inisherin’

Todd Field’s classical music drama Tár and Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy The Banshees Of Inisherin dominated the winners at the 43rd London Critics’ Circle Film Awards, which took place this evening (February 5) at The May Fair Hotel in London.

Tár received three major awards – film of the year, director of the year for Field, and actress of the year for Cate Blanchett, for her performance as Lydia Tár, an internationally-revered composer-conductor whose past actions come back to haunt her.

Scroll down for the full list of winners.

It is the third time Blanchett has won the award, after Elizabeth in 1998 and Blue Jasmine in 2013.

Banshees won the most prizes with five, including three acting awards – actor of the year for Colin Farrell, supporting actress of the year for Kerry Condon, and supporting actor for Barry Keoghan.

Produced by Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin’s UK company Blueprint Pictures, Banshees also won British/Irish film of the year; with McDonagh taking screenwriter of the year.

Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun was the other film to receive multiple prizes, with the director taking breakthrough British/Irish filmmaker, and Frankie Corio winning the young British/Irish performer prize for her role as Sophie, an 11-year-old girl on holiday with her father.

Florence Pugh, a 2016 Screen Star of Tomorrow, took the prize for British/Irish actress of the year for body of work, recognising her performances in Don’t Worry Darling, The Wonder and Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.

Bill Nighy won the equivalent men’s prize, for his performance in Oliver Hermanus’ Living.

The foreign-language film of the year award was a tie between Korean thriller Decision To Leave, and Irish drama The Quiet Girl; while Laura Poitras’ Venice Golden Lion winner All The Beauty And The Bloodshed took the documentary of the year prize.

Searchlight Pictures’ Banshees haul pushed it to the top of the distributors list with five, followed by Universal with four, and Mubi and Netflix with two each.

As previously announced, Michelle Yeoh was awarded the Dilys Powell award for excellence in film. Danny Boyle presented the prize to the Malaysian actress, who was accompanied by her Everything Everywhere All At Once co-star Ke Huy Quan.

London Critics’ Circle Film Awards 2023

Film of the year – Tár

Foreign-language film of the year (tie) – Decision To Leave; The Quiet Girl

Documentary of the year – All The Beauty And The Bloodshed

British/Irish film of the year – The Banshees Of Inisherin

Director of the year – Todd Field, Tár

Screenwriter of the year – Martin McDonagh, The Banshees Of Inisherin

Actress of the year – Cate Blanchett, Tár

Actor of the year – Colin Farrell, The Banshees Of Inisherin

Supporting actress of the year – Kerry Condon, The Banshees Of Inisherin

Supporting actor of the year – Barry Keoghan, The Banshees Of Inisherin

British/Irish actress of the year, for body of work – Florence Pugh, Don’t Worry Darling, The Wonder, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

British/Irish actor of the year, for body of work – Bill Nighy, Living

Breakthrough British/Irish filmmaker – Charlotte Wells, Aftersun

Young British/Irish performer – Frankie Corio, Aftersun

British/Irish short film of the year – A Fox In The Night, dir. Keeran Anwar Blessie

Technical achievement award – Guillermo del Toro, Brian Leif Hansen, animation, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Dilys Powell award for excellence in film – Michelle Yeoh