In their inaugural year, the Sunset Circle has announced their winners, kicking off one of the most unprecedented (and lengthy) Awards Seasons ever. Their top honor when to “Promising Young Women,” which they awarded Best Film, Best Actress for Carey Mulligan, and Director to Watch for Emerald Fennell. “Sound Of Metal” also garnered multiple awards, including Best Director for Darius Marder, Best Actor for Riz Ahmed, and Best Supporting Actor for Paul Raci. The rest of the awards were scattered around for films like “Minari,” “Mank,” and “The Father.”
BEST FILM
“Promising Young Woman”
RUNNER-UP
“Mank”
BEST DIRECTOR
Darius Marder
“Sound Of Metal”
RUNNER-UP
Chloé Zhao — “Nomadland”
NOMINEES
- Lee Isaac Chung – “Minari”
- David Fincher – “Mank”
- Darius Marder – “Sound of Metal”
- Florian Zeller – “The Father”
- Chloe Zhao – “Nomadland”
BEST ACTOR
Riz Ahmed
“Sound Of Metal”
RUNNER-UP
Anthony Hopkins — “The Father”
NOMINEES
- Ben Affleck – “The Way Back”
- Riz Ahmed – “Sound of Metal”
- Chadwick Boseman – “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
- Winston Duke – “Nine Days”
- Anthony Hopkins – “The Father”
BEST ACTRESS
Carey Mulligan
“Promising Young Woman”
RUNNER-UP
Glenn Close — “Hillbilly Elegy”
NOMINEES
- Morfydd Clark — “Saint Maud”
- Glenn Close — “Hillbilly Elegy”
- Viola Davis — “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
- Vanessa Kirby — “Pieces of a Woman”
- Carey Mulligan — “Promising Young Woman”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Paul Raci
“Sound Of Metal
RUNNER-UP
Bill Burr — “The King of Staten Island”
NOMINEES
- Bill Burr — “The King of Staten Island”
- Bill Murray — “On The Rocks”
- Leslie Odom Jr. — “One Night in Miami”
- Paul Raci — “Sound of Metal”
- Stanley Tucci — “Supernova”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Yuh-jung Youn
“Minari”
RUNNER-UP
Amy Adams — “Hillbilly Elegy”
NOMINEES
- Amy Adams — “Hillbilly Elegy”
- Zazie Beetz — “Nine Days”
- Olivia Colman — “The Father”
- Amanda Seyfried — “Mank”
- Youn Yuh-jung — “Minari”
BEST ENSEMBLE
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
RUNNER-UP
“Hillbilly Elegy”
NOMINEES
- “Hillbilly Elegy”
- “The King of Staten Island”
- “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
- “Minari”
- “The Prom”
BEST SCREENPLAY
“The Father”
Christopher Hampton & Florian Zeller
RUNNER-UP
“Promising Young Woman” — Emerald Fennell
NOMINEES
- “The Father” — Christopher Hampton & Florian Zeller
- “Minari” — Lee Isaac Chung
- “Nine Days” — Edson Oda
- “Promising Young Woman” — Emerald Fennell
- “Sound of Metal” — Derek Cianfrance & Darius Marder
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“Mank”
Erik Messerschmidt
RUNNER-UP
“Nomadland” — Joshua James Richards
NOMINEES
- “Gretel & Hansel” — Galo Olivares
- “Mank” — Erik Messerschmidt
- “Nomadland” — Joshua James Richards
- “Sound of Metal” — Daniël Bouquet
- “Tenet” — Hoyte Van Hoytema
BEST SCORE
“Tenet”
Ludwig Göransson
RUNNER-UP
“Minari” — Emile Mosseri
NOMINEES
- “First Cow” — William Tyler
- “Gretel & Hansel” — Robin Coudert
- “Minari” — Emile Mosseri
- “Soul” — Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
- “Tenet” — Ludwig Göransson
DIRECTOR TO WATCH
Emerald Fennell
“Promising Young Woman”
RUNNER-UP
Rose Glass — “Saint Maud”
NOMINEES
- Radha Blank — “The 40-Year-Old Version”
- Emerald Fennell — “Promising Young Woman”
- Rose Glass — “Saint Maud”
- Edson Oda — “Nine Days”
- Jon Stevenson — “Rent-A-Pal”
SCENE-STEALER
Michael Keaton
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”
RUNNER-UP
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II — “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
NOMINEES
- Michael Keaton — “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II — “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
- Gabourey Sidibe — “Antebellum”
- Toby Wallace — “Babyteeth”
- Wil Wheaton — “Rent-A-Pal”
BEST BREAKTHROUGH
Orion Lee
“First Cow”
RUNNER-UP
Kiera Allen — “Run”
NOMINEES
- Kiera Allen — “Run”
- Nicole Beharie — “Miss Juneteenth”
- Joe Kerry — “Spree”
- Orion Lee — “First Cow”
- Jo Ellen Pellman — “The Prom”
TOP TEN FILMS OF 2021
- “The Father”
- “The King of Staten Island”
- “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
- “Mank”
- “Minari”
- “Nine Days”
- “Nomadland”
- “Promising Young Woman”
- “Saint Maud”
- “Sound of Metal”
QUICK LIST
Best Picture: “Promising Young Woman”
Best Director: Darius Marder — “Sound Of Metal”
Best Actor: Riz Ahmed — “Sound Of Metal”
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan — “Promising Young Woman”
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Raci — “Sound Of Metal”
Best Supporting Actress: Yuh-jung Youn — “Minari”
Best Ensemble: “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Best Screenplay: “The Father” — Christopher Hampton & Florian Zeller
Best Cinematography: “Mank” — Erik Messerschmidt
Best Score: “Tenet” — Ludwig Göransson
Director to Watch: Emerald Fennell — “Promising Young Woman”
Scene-Stealer: Michael Keaton — “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Best Breakthrough: Orion Lee — “First Cow”
SUNSET FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
The Sunset Film Critics Circle was formed in 2020 and consists of We Live Entertainment founder Scott Menzel, Awards Daily owner Sasha Stone, Editor-in-Chief of Awards Ace Erick Weber, Folha journalist Rodrigo Salem, Film Threat writer Chris Gore and writer Simon Thompson.
