Washington DC Critics Name Munich Best Film, Spielberg Best Director

Washington DC Critics Name Munich Best Film, Spielberg Best Director

Double awards also for Capote and Crash

Breakthrough award to Terrence Howard for "Hustle & Flow"

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) today selected "Munich" the best film of the year and selected its director, Steven Spielberg, for top honors as well. Other films receiving more than one award were "Capote" (best actor to Philip Seymour Hoffman and best adapted screenplay to first-time screenwriter Dan Futterman) and "Crash" (best original screenplay to Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco and best ensemble acting).

This year, WAFCA's "breakthrough" award went to Terrence Howard ("Hustle & Flow"). "We are delighted to recognize Howard's brilliant work, not just in this film but in 'Crash' and 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' this year," said WAFCA President Tim Gordon. "We expect to be announcing him as the winner of a best actor award some day."

In a new category, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," was the winner of the award for best art direction. Reese Witherspoon was selected as best actress for her performance as June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line." Supporting awards went to Amy Adams for "Junebug" and Paul Giamatti for "Cinderella Man." Best foreign film was Stephen Chow's action comedy "Kung Fu Hustle" and best animated film was the Nick Parks' claymation feature, "Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit." Best documentary was "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room."

The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association is comprised of 34 DC-based film critics from television, radio, print and the internet. Voting was conducted from December 9-11, 2005.

2005 WAFCA Choices
Final Results-2005 Washington (D.C.) Area Film Critics Association Awards
Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman -- Capote

Best Actress
Reese Witherspoon -- Walk the Line

Best Supporting Actor
Paul Giamatti -- Cinderella Man

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams -- Junebug

Best Director
Steven Spielberg -- Munich

Best Screenplay, Original
Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco -- Crash

Best Screenplay, Adapted
Dan Futterman -- Capote

Best Film
Munich/Universal

Best Foreign Film
Kung Fu Hustle/Sony Pictures Classic

Best Animated Feature
Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit/DreamWorks

Best Documentary
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room/Magnolia Pictures

Best Breakthrough Performance
Terrence Howard/Hustle & Flow

Best Ensemble
Crash/Lions Gate

Best Art Direction
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe/Buena Vista

Source: Washington DC Area Film Critics Association

CONTACT: Tim Gordon, +1-202-302-7421, crytical1@verizon.net, or Nell
Minow, +1-703-532-1006, moviemom@moviemom.com

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