The National Board of Review has named Martin Scorsese’s brilliant saga, The Irishman, the best film of the year.
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock (10428408cl)
Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Harvey Keitel
‘The Irishman’ film premiere, Arrivals, 57th New York Film Festival, USA – 27 Sep 2019
The organization, comprised of filmmakers, professionals and academics, also named Steven Zallian’s script for “The Irishman” as best adapted screenplay of the year.
Scorsese’s mob epic hit the steaming service over last week’s Thanksgiving holiday, but it will continue to roll out in theaters in the coming weeks.
Quentin Tarantino was named best director for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Renée Zellweger was named best actress for her turn in “Judy,” and Adam Sandler was awarded best actor for “Uncut Gems.”
Zellweger and Sandler triumph in those categories less than 24 hours after Awkwafina (“The Farewell”) and Adam Driver (“Marriage Story”) took the same respective honors at Monday’s Gotham Awards.
Both the actor and actress categories are largely perceived as stacked with contenders this season.
Other big winners of the NBR include Kathy Bates as best actress performance in Clint Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell,” and Brad Pitt as best supporting actor for “Once Upon a Time.”
“Maiden,” the tale of the first all-female crew to compete in a grueling nine-moth yacht race, took best documentary. The board voted “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” as best animated film, and Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” as best foreign language film.
NBR President Annie Schulhof called “The Irishman” a masterful mob epic “that represents the best in what cinema can be. We are also excited to be presenting Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino with our inaugural Icon Award–they are the true definition of cinematic icons, each with their own exceptional body of work,”
Awards will be handed out on January 8., at Manhattan’s Cipriani, during a gala ceremony hosted by Willie Geist.
Read the full list of winners:
Best Film: THE IRISHMAN
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD
Best Actor: Adam Sandler, UNCUT GEMS
Best Actress: Renée Zellweger, JUDY
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD
Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, RICHARD JEWELL
Best Original Screenplay: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, Ronald Bronstein, UNCUT GEMS
Best Adapted Screenplay: Steven Zaillian, THE IRISHMAN
Breakthrough Performance: Paul Walter Hauser, RICHARD JEWELL
Best Directorial Debut: Melina Matsoukas, QUEEN & SLIM
Best Animated Feature: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD
Best Foreign Language Film: PARASITE
Best Documentary: MAIDEN
Best Ensemble: KNIVES OUT
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Roger Deakins, 1917
NBR Icon Award: Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: FOR SAMA
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: JUST MERCY
