Anora, Emilia Perez win big while All We Imagine As Light, Citadel: Honey Bunny lose out at Critics Choice Awards

The 30th Annual Critics Choice Awards, held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica , witnessed an exciting evening of recognition for the film industry’s finest talents.

Anora won the top honour for Best Picture. Accepting the award, writer-director Sean Baker expressed his surprise, calling the win “so unexpected.” “When those who dedicate their lives to their love of film and film criticism and film journalism, when they see something positive in your work, just a little, it means everything in the world. So thank you guys so much,” the filmmaker said.

The Awards ceremony was hosted by Chelsea Handler.

Demi, Adrien are the Best

Demi Moore was awarded the prestigious Critics Choice Award for Best Actress for her remarkable performance in The Substance. “I’m truly honoured to receive this recognition,” Moore said in her acceptance speech, adding, “This role challenged me in ways I never expected, and I’m grateful to everyone who believed in this project.”

Adrien Brody take home the Best Actor award for his performance in The Brutalist.

Adam the funny guy

Adam Brody made a triumphant return to the spotlight at Critics Choice Awards, where he won Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Rabbi Noah Roklov in the Netflix comedy Nobody Wants This. “This is such a thrill,” Brody said during his acceptance speech, adding, “Thank you so much to the Critics Choice for this honour.”

Zoe Saldana bags her first

Zoe Saldana continued her victory run by winning the Best Supporting Actress honours for her performance in Emilia Perez. After winning the Golden Globes earlier this year, this award marks her second win in the same category for her performance in Emilia Perez. “I appreciate the role of a critic. I do. I sometimes read the reviews and internalise it, especially the helpful feedback like, ‘Her crying is distracting.’ ‘She’s in too many franchises.’ Or, my personal favourite, she’s too blue,” said Zoe while hinting at her role in Avatar franchise.

The actress arrived in an open-back red silk Saint Laurent gown with matching heels. She completed her outfit with a black bow in the back, matching her black choker. In the accessory department, Zoe wore diamond rings to further elevate her look.

Jolie good

Angelina Jolie was a standout as she made a rare solo appearance at the Critics Choice Awards. The actress, nominated for Best Actress for her role in Maria, looked ethereal in a bisque-colored lace dress by renowned designer Elie Saab.

Boss lady

Nicole Kidman, who is nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Lioness, made a fashion statement on the red carpet. The 57-year-old actress wore an oversized tan wool suit by Saint Laurent, featuring a double-breasted jacket and high-waisted, wide-leg wool pants. Underneath the jacket, Kidman opted for a striped shirt paired with a silk tie, adding a sophisticated edge to her look. The ensemble was completed with Faye slingback pumps, also by Saint Laurent, which tied the entire outfit together.

The actress’s long strawberry blonde hair was styled in soft, wavy curls, and her makeup was kept simple and fresh, allowing her natural beauty to shine through.

One for Martha

Jessica Gunning has claimed the prestigious title of Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television at the 30th annual Critics Choice Awards.

The British actress earned the award for her captivating performance as Martha in the hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer. In her heartfelt speech, Jessica said, “This role, as Martha, has truly changed my life. I am deeply grateful to Richard Gadd, who chose me to play this part, and for everyone who believed in me.”

They did it!

Conclave, a 2024 political thriller, stood out by taking home the Critics Choice Award for Best Acting Ensemble. It earned critical acclaim for its engaging storyline and stellar performances.

India misses out

Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light lost in the Best Foreign Language Film category with the honour going to France’s Emilia Perez. The awards ceremony also saw Citadel: Honey Bunny, starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, miss out on the Best Foreign Language Series award, which went to Netflix’s blockbuster South Korean series Squid Game.

All We Imagine As Light, which charted history by becoming the first Indian title to win the Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Film Festival last year, had been nominated alongside Latvia’s Flow, Ireland’s Kneecap, Brazil’s I’m Still Here, and Germany’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig, directed by Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof.