The Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards split pretty evenly between “Belfast” and “West Side Story” along with some “CODA” thrown in. “Belfast” won Best Picture, Original Screenplay, and Male Youth Performance, while “West Side Story” won Best Director, Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Film Editing, and Art Direction. “CODA” won Best Ensemble, Supporting Actor, and Female Youth Performance.
BEST PICTURE
“Belfast”
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Produced by Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik, and Tamar Thomas
Focus Features
BEST DIRECTOR
Steven Spielberg
“West Side Story”
Produced by Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, and Kevin McCollum
20th Century Studios
BEST ACTOR
Nicolas Cage
“Pig”
Directed by Michael Sarnoski
Neon
BEST ACTRESS
Jessica Chastain
“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Directed by Michael Showalter
Searchlight Pictures
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Troy Kotsur
“CODA”
Directed by Sian Heder
Apple Original Films
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ariana DeBose
“West Side Story”
Directed by Steven Spielberg
20th Century Studios
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Belfast”
Written by Kenneth Branagh
Focus Features
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“The Power of the Dog”
Written by Jane Campion
Based on “The Power of the Dog” by Thomas Savage
Netflix
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
“West Side Story”
Cinematography by Janusz Kamiski
20th Century Studios
BEST FILM EDITING
“West Side Story”
Edited by Michael Kahn and Sarah Broshar
20th Century Studios
BEST SCORE
“Spencer”
Composed by Jonny Greenwood
Neon
BEST SONG
“No Time to Die”
from “No Time to Die”
Preformed by Billie Eilish
Written by Billie Eilish, Miles Ale, and Finneas O’Connell
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
BEST DOCUMENTARY
“Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”
Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
Searchlight Pictures
BEST ANIMATED FILM
“The Mitchells vs the Machines”
Directed by Mike Rianda
Netflix
BEST FOREIGN FILM
“Flee“
(Denmark)
Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen
Neon
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
“Cruella”
Costume Design by Jenny Beavan and Tom Davies
Walt Disney Pictures
BEST ART DIRECTION
“West Side Story”
Art Decorating by Nithya Shrinivasan, Deborah Wheatley, Ryan Heck, and Hinju Kim
20th Century Studios
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
“Dune”
Visual Effects by Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer
Warner Bros. Pictures
BEST ENSEMBLE
“CODA”
Cast: Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant, Eugenio Derbez, and Ferdia Walsh-Peelo
Apple Original Films
BEST ACTION FILM
“Nobody”
Directed by Ilya Naishuller
Universal Pictures
BEST COMEDY FILM
“Don’t Look Up”
Directed by Adam McKay
Netflix
BEST HORROR / SCI-FI FILM
“Dune”
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Warner Bros. Pictures
BEST FAMILY FILM
“CODA”
Directed by Sian Heder
Apple Original Films
BEST BREAKOUT FILMMAKER
Maggie Gyllenhaal
“The Lost Daughter”
Produced by Maggie Gyllenhaal, Osnat Handelsman Keren, Talia Kleinhendler, and Charles Dorfman
Netflix
Best male Youth Performance
(Under 21)
Jude Hill
“Belfast”
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Focus Features
Best Female Youth Performance
(Under 21)
Emilia Jones
“CODA”
Directed by Sian Heder
Apple Original Films
William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award
Steven Spielberg
Top 10 Films of 2021
1. “Belfast”
(Focus Features)
2. “West Side Story”
(20th Century Studios)
3. “The Power of the Dog”
(Netflix)
4. “Licorice Pizza”
(MGM)
5. “CODA”
(Apple Original Films)
6. “tick, tick… Boom!”
(Netflix)
7. “King Richard”
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
8. “Dune”
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
9. “Spencer”
(Neon)
10. “Mass“
(Bleeker Street)
QUICK LIST
Best Picture: “Belfast”
Best Director: Steven Spielberg — “West Side Story”
Best Actor: Nicolas Cage — “Pig”
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain — “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Best Supporting Actor: Troy Kotsur — “CODA”
Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose — “West Side Story”
Best Original Screenplay: “Belfast” — Kenneth Branagh
Best Adapted Screenplay: “The Power of the Dog” — Jane Campion
Best Cinematography: “West Side Story” — Janusz Kamiski
Best Film Editing: “West Side Story” — Michael Kahn & Sarah Broshar
Best Score: “Spencer” — Jonny Greenwood
Best Song: “No Time to Die” from “No Time to Die” — Billie Eilish
Best Documentary: “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)”
Best Animated Film: “The Mitchells vs the Machines”
Best International Film: “Flee” (Denmark)
Best Costume Design: “Cruella” — Jenny Beavan & Tom Davies
Best Art Direction: “West Side Story”
Best Visual Effects: “Dune”
Best Ensemble: “CODA”
Best Action Film: “Nobody”
Best Comedy Film: “Don’t Look Up”
Best Horror/Sci-Fi: “Dune”
Best Family Film: “CODA”
Best Male Youth Performance: Jude Hill — “Belfast”
Best Female Youth Performance: Emilia Jones — “CODA”
William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award: Steven Spielberg
LAS VEGAS FILM CRITICS SOCIETY
The Las Vegas Film Critics Society is a non-profit, progressive organization dedicated to the advancement and preservation of film and is composed of selected print, television, radio and Internet film critics in the Las Vegas and Reno area. The LVFCS presents its “Sierra” awards each year for the best in film, including The William Holden Lifetime Achievement Award, which is named for the brilliant Academy Award winning actor.
