Hey folks, Harry here with the AFCA awards for the Best in Film of 2010. I'm one of several local critics that vote on these awards. I disagree with a few here and there, but I have to say I'm proud of my fellow Austin Critics for rallying around BLACK SWAN, which is one of the very best films of 2010, that it seems is being overshadowed by SOCIAL NETWORK, just about everywhere else. Meanwhile, personally - I wave the big TRUE GRIT flag as my personal pick for Best Picture of 2010. Now - without further verbosity is the press release:
December 22, 2010 (Austin, TX) – The Austin Film Critics Association announces its 6th annual end-of-year awards with 12 films covering the 16 various awards for 2010.
The ballet drama Black Swan won five awards, including the top honor, Best Film, it was announced today by Cole Dabney, President of the Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA). Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky, lead actress Natalie Portman, screenwriters Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, and John McLaughlin, and cinematographer Matthew Libatique were also recognized for their outstanding work.
Colin Firth was named Best Actor for his portrayal of the speech-impaired King George VI in The Kingʼs Speech, while Christian Bale and Hailee Steinfeld were recognized as Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress in The Fighter and True Grit, respectively.
The Social Network picked up one prize – Best Adapted Screenplay – for Aaron Sorkinʼs adaptation of Ben Mezrichʼs nonfiction book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, a Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal. The Social Network was also named the second best film of the year in the AFCAʼs overall ballot.
Jacques Audiardʼs French prison drama A Prophet (Un Prophète) won Best Foreign Language Film, French electronica pioneer Daft Punk was recognized for its original score for Tron: Legacy, and Pixarʼs Toy Story 3 took Best Animated Feature. Banksyʼs prankish Exit Through the Gift Shop was awarded Best Documentary.
For her lively and distinctive work in both Let Me In and Kick-Ass, the AFCA awarded Chloë Grace Moretz its Robert R. McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award. The award is named after Bobby McCurdy, a founding and much- loved member of the AFCA who passed away suddenly just this week. Each year, his favorite award to discuss and forecast prior to voting was the Breakthrough Artist Award.
British writer/director Gareth Edwardsʼ debut Monsters was named Best First Film; it world-premiered at the 2010 South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin. And Austin filmmaker Ben Steinbauerʼs Winnebago Man, a personal documentary about the filmmakerʼs relationship with the “Angriest Man in the World,” viral video sensation Jack Rebney, was named Best Austin Film.
In recognition of both its five years of superlative drama and its contributions to the Austin film and television community, the AFCA bestowed a special honorary award on "Friday Night Lights". The show is currently airing its final season on DirecTV, with a rebroadcast on NBC set for the new year.
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Best Film:
Black Swan
Best Director:Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Best Actor:
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
Best Actress:
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Supporting Actor:
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Best Supporting Actress:
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Best Original Screenplay:
Black Swan, Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John McLaughlin
Best Adapted Screenplay:
The Social Network, Aaron Sorkin
Best Cinematography:
Black Swan, Matthew Libatique
Best Original Score:
Tron: Legacy, Daft Punk
Best Foreign Language Film:
A Prophet (Un Prophète), France [dir. Jacques Audiard]
Best Documentary:
Exit Through the Gift Shop [dir. Banksy]
Best Animated Feature:
Toy Story 3 [dir. Lee Unkrich]
Robert R. McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award:
Chloë Grace Moretz, Kick-Ass/Let Me In
Best First Film:
Monsters, Gareth Edwards
Austin Film Award:
Winnebago Man, Ben Steinbauer
Special Honorary Award:
Friday Night Lights, for producing excellent, locally made television and contributing to the film community in Austin for the past five years
Top 10 Films:
1. Black Swan 2. The Social Network 3. Inception 4. Toy Story 3
5. The King's Speech 6. True Grit 7. The Fighter 8. Un Prophete
9. Winter's Bone 10. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
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2010 Membership Roster:
The AFCA's membership includes 20 professional film critics from the Central Texas Area who review movies for daily newspapers, weekly alternatives, local and cable television, monthly magazines, and websites with international prominence.
Ain't It Cool News:
Harry Knowles Eric Vespe
Austin-American Statesman:
Charles Ealy
Austin Chronicle:
Marjorie Baumgarten Kimberley Jones Marc Savlov
Cinematical:
Jette Kernion
Film School Rejects:
Neil Miller
Film.com:
C. Robert Cargill
Gordon and the Whale:
Chase Whale
Hill Country News:
Laurie Coker
Hollywood.com/Horror's Not Dead/Horror Squad:
Peter S. Hall
INsite Magazine:
Cole Dabney Robert McCurdy
News 8 Austin:
Victor Diaz
Slackerwood:
Jenn Brown
Smells Like Screen Spirit:
Dave Campbell
Spill.com:
Korey Coleman Chris Cox Martin Thomas
