Washington Area Film Critics Association Awards 2024: Wicked, The Brutalist, Emilia Perez, A Real Pain, and More

I am honored to be a founding member of the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association, and very proud of our nominations and awards this year:

the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) celebrates a year of filmmaking excellence with its 2024 WAFCA Awards winners. This year’s awards recognize a stellar array of films, showcasing the best in mainstream and independent cinema in 21 categories.

“Wicked Proves Too Popular to Lose”

In a surprise turn, “Wicked” swooped in to take the Best Feature and Best Production Design wins. Similarly, “The Brutalist” claimed the prize in two categories: Best Director for Brady Corbet, and Original Score by Daniel Blumberg. Tying with the ambitious and infectious “Challengers” score by Reznor and Finch in the latter. Meanwhile, Colman Domingo took the crown for his leading role in “Sing Sing,” as did Mikey Madison for her performance in “Anora.” Despite facing stiff competition, the art and entertainment of 2024 saw awards spread evenly among several standout films.

Presented by the many outstanding voices of Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia film criticism, this year’s WAFCA Awards include five special recognition categories. Living up to its name, “The Fall Guy” grabbed the first Best Stunts title, highlighting the outstanding achievement of stunt coordinators and their teams. “Civil War” was celebrated for its powerful (hopefully not prescient) depiction of Washington, DC with 

The Joe Barber Award—named for the beloved, late WTOP film and entertainment editor.

Here is the complete list of 2024 WAFCA Award Winners:

Best Original Score:
“Blitz” – Hans Zimmer
WINNERS: “Challengers” – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
“Conclave” – Volker Bertelmann
“Nosferatu” – Robin Carolan
WINNERS: “The Brutalist” – Daniel Blumberg
“The Wild Robot” – Kris Bowers

Best Editing
WINNERS: “Anora” – Sean Baker
“Conclave” – Nick Emerson
WINNERS: “Dune: Part Two” – Joe Walker
“The Brutalist” – Dávid Jancsó
“Wicked” – Myron Kerstein

Best Cinematography
“Conclave” – Stéphane Fontaine
“Dune: Part Two” – Greig Fraser
“Nickel Boys” – Jomo Fray
WINNER: “Nosferatu” – Jarin Blaschke
“The Brutalist” – Lol Crawley

Best Production Design
“Dune: Part Two” – Patrice Vermette
“Gladiator II” – Arthur Max
“Nosferatu” – Craig Lathrop
“The Brutalist” – Judy Becker
WINNER: “Wicked” – Nathan Crowley

Best International Film
“Dahomey” – France, Senegal, Benin, Singapore
WINNER: “Emilia Pérez” – Mexico (setting), France, Belgium (shot)
“Flow” – Latvia, Belgium, France
“I’m Still Here” – Brazil, France
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” – France, Iran (shot)

Best Documentary
“Dahomey” (MUBI)
“Daughters” (Netflix)
“Music by John Williams” (Disney+)
“No Other Land” (mTuckman Media)
WINNER: “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Will & Harper” (Netflix)

Best Animated Feature
“Flow” (Sideshow / Janus Films)
“Inside Out 2” (Disney/Pixar)
“Memoir of a Snail” (IFC Films)
WINNER: “The Wild Robot” (Universal Pictures)
“Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” (Netflix)

Best Adapted Screenplay
WINNER: “Conclave” – written for the screen by Peter Straughan
“Dune: Part Two” – written for the screen by Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts
“Nickel Boys” – written for the screen by RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes
“Sing Sing” – written for the screen by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar
“Wicked” – written for the screen by Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox

Best Original Screenplay
“Anora” – Sean Baker
WINNER: “A Real Pain” – Jesse Eisenberg
“Challengers” – Justin Kuritzkes
“The Brutalist” – Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
“The Substance” – Coralie Fargeat

Best Youth Performance
Alisha Weir – “Abigail”
Alyla Browne – “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
WINNER: Elliott Heffernan – “Blitz”
Ian Foreman – “Exhibiting Forgiveness”
Isabel DeRoy–Olson – “Fancy Dance”
Izaac Wang – “Didi”
Zoe Ziegler – “Janet Planet”

Best Voice Performance
Amy Poehler – “Inside Out 2”
Auli’i Cravalho – “Moana 2”
Brian Tyree Henry – “Transformers One”
WINNER: Lupita Nyong’o – “The Wild Robot”
Maya Hawke – “Inside Out 2”

Best Acting Ensemble
“Anora” – Sean Baker, Emily Fleischer (casting associate)
WINNER: “Conclave” – Barbara Giordani, Nina Gold, Francesco Vedovati, Martin Ware
“Dune: Part Two” – Francine Maisler
“Sing Sing” – Greg Kwedar, Rita Powers (extras casting)
“The Brutalist” – Kristina Erdely, Cassandra Kulukundis
“Wicked” – Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey

Best Supporting Actress
Ariana Grande – “Wicked”
Aunjanue Ellis–Taylor – “Nickel Boys”
WINNER: Danielle Deadwyler – “The Piano Lesson”
Isabella Rossellini – “Conclave”
Zoe Saldana – “Emilia Perez”

Best Supporting Actor
Clarence Maclin – “Sing Sing”
Denzel Washington – “Gladiator II”
Guy Pearce – “The Brutalist”
WINNER: Kieran Culkin – “A Real Pain”
Yura Borisov – “Anora”

Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo – “Wicked”
Demi Moore – “The Substance”
Karla Sofia Gascon – “Emilia Perez”
Marianne Jean–Baptiste – “Hard Truths”
WINNER: Mikey Madison – “Anora”

Best Actor
Adrien Brody – “The Brutalist”
WINNER: Colman Domingo – “Sing Sing”
Daniel Craig – “Queer”
Ralph Fiennes – “Conclave”
Timothée Chalamet – “A Complete Unknown”

Best Director
WINNER: Brady Corbet – “The Brutalist”
Denis Villeneuve – “Dune: Part Two”
Edward Berger – “Conclave”
Jon M. Chu – “Wicked”
Sean Baker – “Anora”

Best Feature
“Anora” (Neon)
“Conclave” (Focus Features)
“Sing Sing” (A24)
“The Brutalist” (A24)
WINNER: “Wicked” (Universal Pictures)

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WAFCA ALSO HONORS:

The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC
WINNER: “Civil War”
“Daughters”
“Shirley”
“Stopping the Steal”

Best Motion Capture
Eka Darville – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Jonno Davies – “Better Man”
Kevin Durand – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
WINNER: Owen Teague – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Peter Macon – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”

Best Stunts
“Deadpool and Wolverine” – Colin Follenweider (stunt coordinator), George Cottle (supervising stunt coordinator), Alex Kyshkovych (fight coordinator)

“Dune: Part Two” – Lee Morrison (Supervising Stunt Coordinator), Roger Yuan (Stunt Coordinator/Fight Coordinator), Gyula Toth (Assistant Stunt Coordinator)

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” – Guy Norris (action designer/supervising stunt coordinator)

“Gladiator II” – Nikki Berwick, Peter White (stunt coordinators), Ray Nicholas, Cali Nelle (fight coordinators)

WINNER: “The Fall Guy” – Chris O’Hara (stunt coordinator/stunt designer)

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About the WAFCA:
Founded in 2002, The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) has grown into a mainstay of film criticism, comprising over 50 dedicated critics from the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas. With members representing a cross-section of media platforms, including broadcast, print, and digital outlets, WAFCA reflects the evolving landscape of film criticism. Providing a diverse and respected voice in the industry, WAFCA annually recognizes outstanding achievements in the film industry through its awards and the journalism of its members.