Awards season is nearly upon us and, dare we say, it’s shaping up to be one of the closest competitions yet. 2024 blessed us with several cinematic masterpieces, from the musical stylings of Wicked Part 1, to the incredibly saucy but not-yet-released Babygirl (it’s amazing, trust us). And while there’s still a ways to go before some of the more highly-anticipated moments in the awards schedule, there are several smaller awards ceremonies in the lead up that can help us keep track of who might take out these trophies.
We’re taking stock of the films already dominating awards season, so you don’t have to. See how your favourite flick fared, below.
Anora
Awards won:
- Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival)
- Best Screenplay (New York Film Critics Circle)
Sean Baker's Anora has been widely regarded as one of the must-watch films of this year. In testament to this review, the film took home the prestigious Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival, with panel chair Greta Gerwig saying at the time: “It captured our hearts and lets us laugh and then broke our hearts." Anora tells the story of a sex worker (Mikey Madison) who unexpectedly comes into wealth when she marries Ivan (Mark Eidelstein), the son of a Russian Oligarch.
Babygirl
Awards won:
- Volpi Cup for Best Actress - Nicole Kidman (Venice Film Festival)
A24's Babygirl is so much more than an erotic thriller. Not only does it chart Harris Dickinson and Nicole Kidman in their HR-violating affair, but the film adeptly investigates the varied mechanisms through which women are made to feel shame about their sexuality and desires. It's this dichotomy that earned the film a 6.5 minute standing ovation when it premiered at Venice Film Festival.
A Different Man
Awards won:
- Best Feature Film (Gotham Awards)
Written and directed by Aaron Schimberg, this psychological thriller tackles themes of authenticity and beauty through the story of Edward, an aspiring actor with severe facial disfigurement who volunteers for an experimental treatment that will “cure” his condition. The film stars Adam Pearson and Sebastaian Stan, alongside Renate Reinsve, who you might recognise from The Worst Person in the World.
Sing Sing
Awards won:
- Outstanding Lead Performance - Coleman Domingo (Gotham Awards)
- Outstanding Supporting Performance - Clarence Maclin (Gotham Awards)
This eye-opening film tells the story of Divine G (Coleman Domingo), a man who finds himself imprisoned at the notorious Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit. While there, however, he finds renewed purpose by joining a theatre group with his fellow inmates and, eventually, the group decide to stage their first original comedy.
The Brutalist
Awards won:
- Best Film (New York Critics Circle)
- Best Actor - Adrien Brody (New York Critics Circle)
We love a historical drama, and The Brutalist is no exception. Set in post-war Europe, the film charts László Toth (Adrien Brody), an architect who flees to America in an attempt to rebuild his work and, importantly, his marriage to wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) after being forced apart during the war. Though he quickly finds success in his new home of Pennsylvania, László also learns that none of this is without sacrifice.
Nickel Boys
Awards won:
- Best Director - RaMell Ross (New York Critics Circle)
Nickel Boys borrows its plot from Colson Whitehead's novel of the same name, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction back in 2019. The film follows Elwood Curtis (Ethan Herisse), a young man whose dreams of university are seemingly ended when he is sent to Nickel Academy, a reformatory school in the South. Despite being ferociously abused during his time at the school, he strikes up a powerful friendship with Turner (Brandon Wilson), another student.
In The Summers
Awards won:
- The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic (Sundance Film Festival)
In The Summers follows Violeta (Lio Mehiel) and Eva (Sasha Calle), two siblings who live in California with their mother. Every summer, they travel to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to spend time with their father, Vicente and, over time, they relationship blossoms from strained to heartwarming.
Feature images via IMDb.
