"The Power of the Dog" wins big at the Critics Circle Awards and Olivia Colman is named Actress of the Year after being snubbed by the BAFTAs.
The Netflix drama stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a wealthy but cantankerous ranch owner in 1925 and Kirsten Dunst as his alcoholic sister-in-law and the ceremony saw Jane Campion receive the accolade for Director of the Year, whilst Kodi Smit-McPhee was named Supporting Actor for his role as the young and effeminate Peter and "Sherlock" star Benedict was named Actor of the Year.
This is Campion’s second film to take the Circle’s top honour, almost thirty years after her period drama "The Piano" was named Film of the Year back in 1994.
Elsewhere at the awards ceremony, Olivia Colman was named as Actress of the Year for her role as a middle-aged divorcee who confronts her difficult past when on holiday in Greece in Maggie Gyllenhaal"s drama "The Lost Daughter".
It became Olivia’s third award from the organisation, having previously won for "Tyrannosaur" and "The Favourite".
BAFTA frontrunner "Dune" won a technical achievement award for visual effects.
The 42nd annual ceremony was held virtually and streamed online but the organisers reportedly plan to schedule an in-person event to celebrate later this year.
The full list of winners is as follows:
FILM OF THE YEAR
"The Power of the Dog" (Netflix)
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
"Drive My Car" (Modern)
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
"Summer of Soul …or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised" (Searchlight/Onyx Collective/Hulu)
The Attenborough Award
BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR
"The Souvenir Part II" (Picturehouse)
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Jane Campion – "The Power of the Dog" (Netflix)
SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe – "Drive My Car" (Modern)
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Olivia Colman – "The Lost Daughter" (Netflix)
ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Benedict Cumberbatch – "The Power of the Dog" (Netflix)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Ruth Negga – "Passing" (Netflix)
SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Kodi Smit-McPhee – "The Power of the Dog" (Netflix)
BRITISH/IRISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Tilda Swinton – for her body of work in 2021, including "Memoria" (Sovereign), "The Souvenir Part II" (Picturehouse) and "The French Dispatch" (Searchlight)
BRITISH/IRISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Andrew Garfield – for his body of work in 2021, including "Tick, Tick… Boom!" (Netflix), "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" (Searchlight), "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (Sony) and "Mainstream" (Universal)
The Philip French Award
BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER
Rebecca Hall – "Passing" (Netflix)
YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER
Woody Norman – "C’mon C’mon" (Entertainment)
BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM
"Play It Safe"
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
"Dune" – Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer, visual effects (Warners)