Nomie Merlant appears in Jumbo by Zoé Wittock
Nomie Merlant appears in Jumbo by Zoé Wittock

The Philadelphia Film Critics Circle announced the winners of the fourth annual year-end awards, and the choice for Best Film of 2020 was director George C. Wolfe’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Nomadland was the choice for Best Director for Chloe Zhao and Best Cinematography for Joshua James Richards. Other awards including Best Foreign Film went to Jumbo directed by Zoé Wittock, and Best Documentary went to Time, directed by Garrett Bradley.

“I am once again blown away by the variety of winners we’ve selected. I couldn’t be happier with our selections.” Rich Heimlich, cofounder of the Circle, said. “This was a year unlike any other, so it’s perhaps not surprising that so many different films received awards. But I’m proud that we were able to honor some special work this year,” said Stephen Silver, the group’s other cofounder.

Winners of 2020 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle

Best Film: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Runner-up: Da 5 Bloods.

Best Director: Chloe Zhao, for Nomadland. Runner-up Kelly Reichardt, for First Cow.

Best Actress: Viola Davis for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Runners-up: Aubrey Plaza for Black Bear and Carey Mulligan for Promising Young Woman (tie.)

Best Actor: Delroy Lindo, for Da 5 Bloods. Runner-up: Chadwick Boseman, for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.Best

Supporting Actress: Amanda Seyfried, for Mank. Runner-up: Maria Bakalova, for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for MakeBenefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Best Supporting Actor: Chadwick Boseman, for Da 5 Bloods. Runner-up: Leslie Odom, Jr., for One Night in Miami.

Best Foreign Film: Jumbo. Runner-up: La Llorona.

Best Animated Film: Soul, directed by Pete Doctor and Kemp Powers. Runner-up: Wolfwalkers, directed by Tom Moore and Ross Stewart.

Best Documentary: Time, directed by Garrett Bradley. Runner-up: Dick Johnson is Dead, directed by Kirsten Johnson.Best

Cinematography: Nomadland (Joshua James Richards.) Runner-up: First Cow (Chris Blauvelt).

Best Breakthrough Performance: Sidney Flanigan, for Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Runner-up: Maria Bakalova, for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Best Directorial Debut: Regina King, for One Night in Miami, Runner-up: Andrew Patterson, for The Vast of Night.

Best Script: First Cow (written by Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond.) Runner-up: Never Rarely Sometimes Always (written by Eliza Hittman.)

Best Score/Soundtrack: Soul. Runner-up: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

This was the fourth year of awards since the Circle’s inception in 2017. Get Out was the 2017 winner for Best Film, while Roma was the choice in 2018, and Knives Out won in 2019

Subscribe for Blog Updates

Sign up for our latest updates.