Oscars Watch: 2024 Chicago Indie Critics Awards

9TH ANNUAL CHICAGO INDIE CRITICS WINDIE AWARDS
Friday, January 17, 2025

BEST INDEPENDENT FILM

“The Substance” • MUBI

Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Produced by Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan

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“Anora” • NEON
“The Brutalist” • A24
“I Saw the TV Glow” • A24
“Sing Sing” • A24

BEST STUDIO FILM

“Dune: Part Two” • Warner Bros

Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Denis Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe, Patrick McCormick

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“Challengers” • Amazon MGM Studios
“A Complete Unknown” • Searchlight Pictures
“Nosferatu” • Focus Features
“Wicked” • Universal Pictures

BEST FOREIGN FILM

“Flow” • Sideshow/Janus

Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
Produced by Matīss Kaža, Gints Zilbalodis, Ron Dyens, Gregory Zalcman

—
“All We Imagine as Light” | Sideshow/Janus Films
“Emilia Pérez” | Netflix
“Kneecap” | Sony Pictures Classics
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” | NEON

Best Documentary

“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” • Warner Bros, DC, HBO Documentary, CNN Films

Directed by Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui
Produced by Lizzie Gillett, Robert Ford, Ian Bonhôte

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“Daughters” | Netflix
“Music by John Williams” | Disney+
“Sugarcane” | National Geographic
“Will & Harper” | Netflix

BEST ANIMATED FILM

“The Wild Robot” • DreamWorks/Universal

Directed by Chris Sanders
Produced by Jeff Hermann

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“Flow” | Sideshow/Janus Films
“Inside Out 2” | Pixar Animation/Walt Disney Pictures
“Memoir of a Snail” | IFC Films
“Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” | Netflix

Best Director

Coralie Fargeat
“The Substance” • MUBI

Produced by Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan

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Sean Baker – “Anora” | NEON
Brady Corbet – “The Brutalist” | A24
RaMell Ross – “Nickel Boys” | Orion/Amazon MGM Studios
Denis Villeneuve – “Dune: Part Two” | Warner Bros Pictures

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

“The Substance” • MUBI

Written by Coralie Fargeat

Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Produced by Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan

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“Anora” – Sean Baker | NEON
“The Brutalist” – Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold | A24
“I Saw the TV Glow” – Jane Schoenbrun | A24
“A Real Pain” – Jesse Eisenberg | Searchlight Pictures

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Written by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes

Directed by RaMell Ross
Produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, David Levine, Joslyn Barnes

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“Conclave” – Peter Straughan | Focus Features
“Dune: Part Two” – Denis Villeneuve & Jon Spaihts | Warner Bros Pictures
“Sing Sing” – Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar | A24
“The Wild Robot” – Chris Sanders | DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures

Best Actor

Adrien Brody
“The Brutalist” • A24

Directed by Brady Corbet
Produced by Nick Gordon, D.J. Gugenheim, Andrew Lauren, Trevor Matthews

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Timothee Chalamet – “A Complete Unknown” | Searchlight Pictures
Colman Domingo – “Sing Sing” | A24
Hugh Grant – “Heretic” | A24
Sebastian Stan – “The Apprentice” | Briarcliff Entertainment

Best Actress

Demi Moore
“THE SUBSTANCE” • MUBI

Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Produced by Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan

Best Supporting Actor (TIE)

Clarence Maclin
“Sing Sing” • A24

Directed by Greg Kwedar
Produced by Monique Walton, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar

Best Supporting Actor (TIE)

Guy Pearce
“The Brutalist” • A24

Directed by Brady Corbet
Produced by Nick Gordon, D.J. Gugenheim, Andrew Lauren, Trevor Matthews

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Kieran Culkin – “A Real Pain” | Searchlight Pictures
Edward Norton – “A Complete Unknown” | Searchlight Pictures
Bill Skarsgård – “Nosferatu” | Focus Features

Best Supporting Actress

Margaret Qualley
“THE SUBSTANCE” • MUBI

Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Produced by Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan

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Danielle Deadwyler – “The Piano Lesson” | Netflix
Aunjunae Ellis-Taylor – “Nickel Boys” | Orion/Amazon MGM Studios
Ariana Grande-Butera – “Wicked” | Universal Pictures
Zoe Saldaña – “Emilia Pérez” | Netflix

BEST ENSEMBLE

“Sing Sing” • A24

Directed by Greg Kwedar
Produced by Monique Walton, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar

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“Conclave” | Focus Features
“Dune: Part Two” | Warner Bros Pictures
“Saturday Night” | Columbia Pictures
“Wicked” | Universal Pictures

Best Cinematography

“Nosferatu” • Focus Features

Cinematography by Jarin Blaschke

Directed by Robert Eggers
Produced by Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Chris Columbus, Eleanor Columbus, Robert Eggers

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“The Brutalist” – Lol Crawley | A24
“Civil War” – Rob Hardy | A24
“Dune: Part Two” – Greig Fraser | Warner Bros Pictures
“Nickel Boys” – Jomo Fray | Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

Best Production Design

“The Brutalist” • A24

Production Design by Judy Becker | Set Decoration by Patricia Cuccia SDSA

Directed by Brady Corbet
Produced by Nick Gordon, D.J. Gugenheim, Andrew Lauren, Trevor Matthews

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“Conclave” | Focus Features
“Nosferatu” | Focus Features
“The Substance” | MUBI
“Wicked” | Universal Pictures

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

“Nosferatu” • Focus Features

Costume Design by Linda Muir

Directed by Robert Eggers
Produced by Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Chris Columbus, Eleanor Columbus, Robert Eggers

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“Conclave” – Lisy Christl | Focus Features
“Dune: Part Two” – Jacqueline West | Warner Bros Pictures
“The Substance” – Emmanuelle Youchnovski | MUBI
“Wicked” – Paul Tazewell | Universal Pictures

Best Makeup & Hairstyling

“THE SUBSTANCE” • MUBI

Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Produced by Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan

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“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” | Warner Bros Pictures
“A Different Man” | A24
“Nosferatu” | Focus Features
“Wicked” | Universal Pictures

Best Film Editing

“Challengers” • Amazon MGM Studios

Editing by Marco Costa

Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Produced by Luca Guadagnino, Rachel O’Connor, Amy Pascal, Zendaya

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“The Brutalist” – Dávid Jancsó | A24
“Dune: Part Two” – Joe Walker | Warner Bros Pictures
“Nickel Boys” – Nicholas Monsour | Orion/Amazon MGM Studios
“Nosferatu” – Louise Ford | Focus Features

Best ORIGINAL SCORE

“The Wild Robot” • DreamWorks/Universal

Composed by Kris Bowers

Directed by Chris Sanders
Produced by Jeff Hermann

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“The Brutalist” – Daniel Blumberg | A24
“Challengers” – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross | Amazon MGM Studios
“Nosferatu” – Robin Carolan | Focus Features
“The Substance” – Raffertie | MUBI

Best ORIGINAL SONG

“Compress/Repress“
from “Challengers” • Amazon MGM Studios

Written by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, & Luca Guadagnino

Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Produced by Luca Guadagnino, Rachel O’Connor, Amy Pascal, Zendaya

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“Beautiful That Way” from “The Last Showgirl” | Roadside Attractions
“Kiss the Sky” from “The Wild Robot” | DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures
“Like a Bird” from “Sing Sing” | A24
“Starburned and Unkissed” from “I Saw the TV Glow” | A24

BEST Sound

“Dune: Part Two” • Warner Bros

Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Denis Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe, Patrick McCormick

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“Civil War” | A24
“Nosferatu” | Focus Features
“The Substance” | MUBI
“The Wild Robot” | DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

“Dune: Part Two” • Warner Bros

Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Denis Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe, Patrick McCormick

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“Civil War” | A24
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” | 20th Century Studios
“Nosferatu” | Focus Features
“Twisters” | Universal Pictures

BEST STUNTS

“Monkey Man” • Universal Pictures

Directed by Dev Patel
Produced by Dev Patel, Jomon Thomas, Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Christine Haebler, Anjay Nagpal

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“Deadpool & Wolverine” | Marvel Studios
“Dune: Part Two” | Warner Bros Pictures
“The Fall Guy” | Universal Pictures
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” | Warner Bros Pictures

BREAKOUT Performer

Clarence Maclin
“Sing Sing” • A24

Directed by Greg Kwedar
Produced by Monique Walton, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar

BREAKOUT ARTIST

Coralie Fargeat
“The Substance” • MUBI

Produced by Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan

—
Daniel Blumberg – “The Brutalist” | A24
Kris Bowers – “The Wild Robot” | DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures
Dev Patel – “Monkey Man” | Universal Pictures
RaMell Ross – Nickel Boys” | Orion/Amazon MGM Studios

SIGHT UNSEEN AWARD

Lupita Nyong’o
“The Wild Robot” • DreamWorks/Universal

Directed by Chris Sanders
Produced by Jeff Hermann

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Daveed Diggs – “Nickel Boys” | Orion/Amazon MGM Studios
Maya Hawke – “Inside Out 2” | Pixar Animation/Walt Disney Pictures
Pedro Pascal – “The Wild Robot” | DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures
Sarah Snook – “Memoir of a Snail” | IFC Films

IMPACT AWARD
Local award given to individuals who have made a positive impact on Chicago cinema

Kyle Cubr

Programmer, Music Box Theatre

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Emma Greenleaf and Nick Edelberg – Facets Anime Club
Mimi Plauche – Artistic Director of the Cinema/Chicago
Morgan Harris – Acacia Consulting Group
Ramona Slick – Programmer, Music Box Theatre

Chicago Indie Critics

Best Independent Film:
Best Studio Film:
Best Foreign Language Film:
Best Documentary:
Best Animated Film:
Best Director:
Best Original Screenplay:
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Best Actor:
Best Actress:
Best Supporting Actor:
Best Supporting Actress:
Best Ensemble Cast:
Best Cinematography:
Best Production Design:
Best Costume Design:
Best Makeup:
Best Editing:
Best ORIGINAL Score:
Best Original Song:
Best SOUND:
Best Visual Effects:
Best Stunts:
BREAKOUT PERFORMER:
BREAKOUT ARTIST:
SIGHT UNSEEN AWARD:
Impact Award:

“The Substance”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Flow”
“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”
“The Wild Robot”
Coralie Fargeat – “The Substance”
“The Substance” – Coralie Fargeat
“Nickel Boys” – RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes
Adrien Brody – “The Brutalist”
Demi Moore – “The Substance”
Clarence Maclin – “Sing Sing” | Guy Pearce – “The Brutalist”
Margaret Qualley – “The Substance”
“Sing Sing”
“Nosferatu” – Jarin Blaschke
“The Brutalist”
“Nosferatu” – Linda Muir
“The Substance”
“Challengers” – Marco Costa
“The Wild Robot” – Kris Bowers
“Compress/Repress” from “Challengers”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Monkey Man”
Clarence Maclin – “Sing Sing”
Coralie Fargeat – “The Substance”
Lupita Nyong’o – “The Wild Robot”
Kyle Cubr – Programmer, Music Box Theatre

ABOUT THE Chicago Indie Critics

Chicago Indie Critics (CIC) is a creative and engaging non-for-profit organization composed of unique, dedicated, and diversified film critics. Our members are wide-ranging in experiences, backgrounds, tastes, diversities, and target audiences across both print and online platforms and publications. We have organized to share our personal assessments, commentaries, passions, and creativity in the vigilant effort to highlight the greatness and diversity found in both independent and mainstream films. While we originate in the Chicagoland area, the efforts of Chicago Indie Critics are to share, celebrate, and promote the rich artistic medium of film to audiences, fans, and eager minds across the nation and world as an exemplary and upstanding pillar of intelligent print and broadcast journalism.