The 2020 Cinemayward Oscars

Me, every year: The Academy Awards are rubbish. Art is not a popularity contest or a competition to win. Truth and beauty are not determined by “For Your Consideration” campaigns.

Also me: PLEASE AFFIRM MY FAVORITE FILMS WITH TINY GOLD STATUES.

So, here are the 2020 Cinemayward Oscars, which is really just my way of celebrating much of what the actual Oscars (and other similar awards) overlooked this year, as well as a few unique categories of my own. Enjoy.

Winners are in bold. There are five nominees in major categories, unless there are ten…then there are ten. I still haven’t seen some critically celebrated films (e.g. The Farewell, The Last Black Man in San Francisco).

Best Picture: 

• A Hidden Life
• A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• The Irishman
• Knives Out
• The Lighthouse
• Little Women
• Marriage Story
• Parasite
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire
• Transit

Best Director:

• Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)
• Terrence Malick (A Hidden Life)
• Greta Gerwig (Little Women)
• Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
• Josh and Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems)

Best Actress:  

• Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel (Portrait of a Lady on Fire)
• Jessie Buckley (Wild Rose)
• Ana de Armas (Knives Out)
• Marin Ireland (Light from Light)
• Elizabeth Moss (Her Smell)
• Lupita Nyong’o (Us)
• Valerie Pachner (A Hidden Life)
• Mary Kay Place (Diane)
• Charlize Theron (Long Shot)
• Alfre Woodard (Clemency)

Best Actor: 

• Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems)
• Robert De Niro (The Irishman)
• Adam Driver (Marriage Story)
• Robert Pattinson (The Lighthouse)
• Brad Pitt (Ad Astra)

Best Supporting Actress:

• Florence Pugh (Little Women)
• Juliette Binoche (High Life)
• Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
• Julia Fox (Uncut Gems)
• Billie Lourd (Booksmart)

Best Supporting Actor:

• Willem Dafoe (The Lighthouse)
• Chris Cooper (Little Women)
• Kevin Garnett (Uncut Gems)
• Tom Hanks (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
• Joe Pesci (The Irishman)

Best Ensemble Cast:

• Parasite
• The Dead Don’t Die
• The Irishman
• Knives Out
• Little Women

Best Film Not in the English Language:

• Portrait of a Lady on Fire
• Atlantics
• For Sama
• Parasite
• Transit

Best Documentary:

• For Sama
• Amazing Grace
• Apollo 11
• Cold Case Hammarskjöld
• One Child Nation

Best Original Screenplay: Rian Johnson (Knives Out). Honorable Mention: Bong Joon-Ho, Han Jin-won (Parasite)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Greta Gerwig (Little Women). Honorable Mention: Terrence Malick (A Hidden Life)

Best Cinematography: Claire Mathon (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Atlantics). Honorable Mention: Jörg Widmer (A Hidden Life)

Best Editing: Todd Douglas Miller (Apollo 11). Honorable Mention: Thelma Schoonmaker (The Irishman)

Best Production Design: Craig Lathrop, Matt Likely (The Lighthouse). Honorable Mention: Lee Ha-jun, Mo So-ra (Parasite)

Best Score: Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker). Honorable Mention: Alexandre Desplat (Little Women)

Best Visual Effects: Pierre Buffin (High Life). Honorable Mention: Bradley Parker, Allen Maris (Ad Astra)

Best Animated Film: The Swallows of Kabul. Honorable Mention: Missing Link

Best Coming-of-Age Film: Little Women. Honorable Mention: Booksmart

Best Film Exploring Christian Spirituality: A Hidden Life. Honorable Mention: Amazing Grace