Historical/Political Dramas Naturally Capture the Attention of D.C.'s Critics

Historical/Political Dramas Naturally Capture the Attention of D.C.'s Critics

"Zero Dark Thirty" the big winner; Kathryn Bigelow scores again


WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This morning, the Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) announced their winners for 2012, honoring a wide sweep of films, from musicals to science fiction. And while only three films garnered more than one award, it was clear that historical/political dramas resonated most with the critics from the nation's capital.

"Zero Dark Thirty," the account of U.S. intelligence specialists' and Army special forces' pursuit and elimination of terrorist Osama bin Laden, won Best Film. In 2009, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to ever win the WAFCA prize for Best Director for her Iraq War film, "The Hurt Locker." Just three years later, Bigelow has won the same award again for "Zero Dark Thirty."

"In a year full of strong films," said WAFCA President, Tim Gordon, "director Kathryn Bigelow's bold and audacious vision, represented in our Best Picture winner, is the perfect political story for our members in the District of Columbia. This story, told with steely, cold effectiveness, is a worthy entry into WAFCA's Best Picture canon and a cinematic achievement that we are proud to honor."

"Zero Dark Thirty" also netted Jessica Chastain her first Best Actress award. Daniel Day-Lewis won Best Actor for his riveting portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln in the year's other outstanding historical drama, "Lincoln." Best Supporting Actor went to Philip Seymour Hoffman for "The Master" and Best Supporting Actress went to Anne Hathaway for "Les Miserables," which also scooped the Best Acting Ensemble.

The screenplay awards covered two very different films: Best Adapted Screenplay went to David O. Russell for his story of love and shared neuroses in "Silver Linings Playbook," and Rian Johnson won Best Original Screenplay for his time travel mind-bender, "Looper."

Best Animated Feature was won by "ParaNorman," Best Documentary by "Bully," and Best Foreign Language Film by Michael Haneke's "Amour." Best Art Direction went to "Cloud Atlas," while Claudio Miranda won Best Cinematography for "Life of Pi," and Jonny Greenwood took Best Score for "The Master."

New this year, WAFCA proudly instituted The Joe Barber Award for Best Youth Performance, named in honor of beloved D.C. film critic and WTOP's longtime arts editor, Joe Barber, who passed away just over a year ago. The award, which highlights the best performance from an actor or actress under 20, went to Quvenzhane Wallis for "Beasts of the Southern Wild."

"It's a shame Joe was not able to see Quvenzhane's fierce and compassionate performance in this gem of a film," said Gordon. "It's exactly the sort of role Joe would have loved, and we are so thankful to be able to remember him going forward with this very special award."

The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association is comprised of nearly 50 DC-VA-MD-based film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet. Voting was conducted from December 7-9, 2012.

The 2012 WAFCA Award Winners:


Best Film:
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director:
Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Best Actress:
Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Supporting Actor:
Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Best Supporting Actress:
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)

Best Acting Ensemble:
Les Miserables

Best Adapted Screenplay:
David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook)

Best Original Screenplay:
Rian Johnson (Looper)

Best Animated Feature:
ParaNorman

Best Documentary:
Bully

Best Foreign Language Film:
Amour

Best Art Direction:
Uli Hanisch, Hugh Bateup - Production Designers; Peter Walpole, Rebecca Alleway - Set Decorators (Cloud Atlas)

Best Cinematography:
Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)

Best Score:
Jonny Greenwood (The Master)

The Joe Barber Award for Best Youth Performance:
Quvenzhane Wallis
(Beasts of the Southern Wild)

The 2012 WAFCA Award Nominees Were:



Best Film: Best Original Screenplay:
Argo Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
Les Miserables Rian Johnson (Looper)
Lincoln Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master)
Silver Linings Playbook Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola (Moonrise
Kingdom)
Zero Dark Thirty Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Director: Best Animated Feature:
Ben Affleck (Argo) Brave
Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master) Frankenweenie
Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) ParaNorman
Tom Hooper (Les Miserables) Rise of the Guardians
Steven Spielberg (Lincoln) Wreck-It Ralph

Best Actor: Best Documentary:
Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Bully
John Hawkes (The Sessions) The Imposter
Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) The Invisible War
Joaquin Phoenix (The Master) The Queen of Versailles
Denzel Washington (Flight) Searching for Sugar Man

Best Actress: Best Foreign Language Film:
Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Amour
Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone) The Intouchables
Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) I Wish
Helen Mirren (Hitchcock) A Royal Affair
Emmanuelle Riva (Amour) Rust and Bone

Best Supporting Actor: Best Art Direction:
Alan Arkin (Argo) Sarah Greenwood -Production Designer; Katie
Spencer -Set Decorator (Anna Karenina)
Javier Bardem (Skyfall) Uli Hanisch, Hugh Bateup -Production
Designers; Peter Walpole, Rebecca Alleway -
Set Decorators (Cloud Atlas)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Django Unchained) Eve Stewart - Production Designer; Anna
Lynch-Robinson - Set Decorator (Les
Miserables)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master) Rick Carter -Production Designer; Jim
Erickson -Set Decorator (Lincoln)
Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln) Adam Stockhausen -Production Designer; Kris
Moran -Set Decorator (Moonrise Kingdom)

Best Supporting Actress: Best Cinematography:
Amy Adams (The Master) Danny Cohen (Les Miserables)
Samantha Barks (Les Miserables) Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)
Sally Field (Lincoln) Mihai Malaimare Jr. (The Master)
Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) Roger Deakins (Skyfall)
Helen Hunt (The Sessions) Greig Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Acting Ensemble: Best Score:
Argo Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the
Southern Wild)
Les Miserables Howard Shore (The Hobbit: An Unexpected
Journey)
Lincoln John Williams (Lincoln)
Moonrise Kingdom Jonny Greenwood (The Master)
Zero Dark Thirty Alexandre Desplat (Moonrise Kingdom)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Best Youth Performance:
Chris Terrio (Argo) Jared Gilmore (Moonrise Kingdom)
David Magee (Life of Pi) Kara Hayward (Moonrise Kingdom)
Tony Kushner (Lincoln) Tom Holland (The Impossible)
Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a
Wallflower)
David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) Quvenzhane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern
Wild)
SOURCE Washington DC Area Film Critics Association

Washington DC Area Film Critics Association

CONTACT: Tim Gordon, 202-374-3305, The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association, press@wafca.com

Web Site: http://www.wafca.com


-------
Profile: intent