CLINT EASTWOOD was awarded Best Director for "Million Dollar Baby" while Best Actor went to PAUL GIAMATTI for "Sideways" and IMELDA STAUNTON was named Best Actress for "Vera Drake." "FAHRENHEIT 9/11" directed by Michael Moore was chosen as the year¹s Best Non-Fiction Film, and "BAD EDUCATION" directed by Pedro Almodóvar was selected as Best Foreign-Language Film.
"THE INCREDIBLES" written and directed by Brad Bird was named Best Animated Film and Best First Film was given to "MARIA FULL OF GRACE" filmmaker JOSHUA MARSTON.
The award for Best Supporting Actor went to CLIVE OWEN for "Closer" while VIRGINIA MADSEN was chosen as Best Supporting Actress for "Sideways." Best Cinematography went to CHRISTOPHER DOYLE for the film "Hero." "SIDEWAYS" written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor was voted Best Screenplay.
A special award was given to MILESTONE FILMS, in honor of 25 years of restoring classic films.
"Clearly the New York Film Critics Circle went 'Sideways' this year giving the brilliant dark comedy four awards. We are so happy to finally give Paul Giamatti the recognition he deserves," noted the group's chairman Thelma Adams. She added, "But this wasn't a one horse race. We recognized the achievement of the great director and actor Clint Eastwood, Pedro Almodóvar's 'Bad Education,' the stirring first film 'Marie Full of Grace' and Imelda Staunton's shattering performance as the title character in 'Vera Drake.' Overall it was a strong year for Indies and Studios, familiar faces and newcomers."
NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
The New York Film Critics Circle is comprised of critics from daily and weekly newspapers and magazines based in New York. The group is the oldest critical group in America and its annual awards are considered a precursor of the Oscar nominations. US Weekly film critic Thelma Adams, the NYFCC's current chairman, will host the group's award dinner Sunday January 9, 2004, at the historic Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan.
