SPECIAL: Winners of the fifth annual Chicago Indie Critics Awards
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM AND THE LATE CHADWICK BOSEMAN LEAD ALL WINNERS AT THE 5TH ANNUAL FILM AWARDS FROM CHICAGO INDIE CRITICS
Image courtesy of Netflix
The 17 dedicated and talented members of Chicago Indie Critics cast their final ballots this week to declare the winners of 23 categories for their fifth annual film awards. Recorded for video presentation on the group’s YouTube channel, the CIC film critics came together to celebrate the year and recognize the best in film for 2020.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, directed by George C. Wolfe and adapted from August Wilson’s stage play, dominated this year’s CIC Awards, winning seven of its nine nominations. Topmost, the Netflix original film was named the Best Studio Film in a tie with another offering from the streaming leader, Best Director winner Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom also won awards for adapted screenplay, lead actor, lead actress, ensemble cast, costume design, and makeup.
Starring in both of those victorious films, beloved late actor Chadwick Boseman was prominently honored by the CIC. Boseman won posthumous awards for Best Actor (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Best Supporting Actor (Da 5 Bloods), and special recognition as the recipient of the group’s Impact Award celebrating a person whose work during the past year or beyond made a positive influence on society. Also of note, Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland won Best Independent Film and Small Axe anthology filmmaker Steve McQueen won the CIC’s Trailblazer Award honoring the work of an artist who truly pushed the boundaries of the medium in terms of form and content.
Founded in 2016, Chicago Indie Critics is a creative and engaging non-for-profit organization composed of unique, dedicated, and diversified film critics. Its members are wide-ranging in experiences, backgrounds, tastes, and target audiences across both print and online platforms. The CIC organized to share their assessments, commentaries, passions, and creativity in the vigilant effort to highlight the greatness and diversity found in both independent and mainstream films. While they 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 the world as an exemplary and upstanding pillar of intelligent print and broadcast journalism.
CIC DIRECTORS:
Emmanuel Noisette, Don Shanahan, El’Ahrai Stanek
CIC MEMBERS:
Annie Banks, Leo Brady, Mike Crowley, Jonita Davis, Jon Espino, Cati Glidewell, Ryan Jagiello, John Hammerle, Matt Kubinski, Al Lerner, Linda Lerner, Kevin McLenithan, Josh Parham, John Robinson, Andrea Thompson, Mike Vanderbilt, Kevin Wozniak, Jeffrey York
The complete list of the winners of the 2020 CIC Awards:
BEST INDEPENDENT FILM (budgets under $20 million)
NOMADLAND
Producers: Frances McDorman, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, and Chloe Zhao
BEST STUDIO FILM (budgets over $20 million)
DA 5 BLOODS (tie)
Producers: John Kilik, Spike Lee, Beatriz Levin, and Lloyd Levin
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (tie)
Producers: Denzel Washington, Todd Black, and Dany Wolf
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
HIS HOUSE
Producers: Aidan Elliott, Martin Gentles, Arnon Milchan, Ed King, and Roy Lee
BEST DOCUMENTARY
BOYS STATE
Producers: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss
BEST ANIMATED FILM
SOUL
Producers: Dana Murray
BEST DIRECTOR
Spike Lee, DA 5 BLOODS
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN - Emerald Fennell (tie)
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 - Aaron Sorkin (tie)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM - Ruben Santiago-Hudson
BEST ACTOR
Chadwick Boseman, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
BEST ACTRESS
Viola Davis, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chadwick Boseman, DA 5 BLOODS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Maria Bakalova, BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Donald Graham Burt, MANK
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Joshua James Richards, NOMADLAND
BEST EDITING
Alan Baumgarten, THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, SOUL
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Speak Now” - ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
Written by Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ashworth, Performed by Leslie Odom Jr.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Jonathan Dearing and Dan Oliver, THE INVISIBLE MAN
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Ann Roth, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
BEST MAKEUP
Matiki Anoff, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, and Mia Neal, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
SPECIAL AWARDS
TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Honors the work of an artist who truly pushes the boundaries of the medium in terms of form and content
Steve McQueen
IMPACT AWARD
Given to a person whose work has had a positive impact on society
Chadwick Boseman
CIC AWARD WINS BY THE NUMBERS
7: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
3: Da 5 Bloods
2: Nomadland, Soul, The Trial of the Chicago 7
1: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Boys State, His House, The Invisible Man, Mank, One Night in Miami, Promising Young Woman
The complete list of nominees for the 2020 CIC Awards:
BEST INDEPENDENT FILM (budgets under $20 million)
THE FATHER
FIRST COW
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
NOMADLAND
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
BEST STUDIO FILM (budgets over $20 million)
DA 5 BLOODS
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
MANK
SOUL
TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
ANOTHER ROUND
BACURAU
BEANPOLE
HIS HOUSE
THE LIFE AHEAD
BEST DOCUMENTARY
BOYS STATE
DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD
RISING PHOENIX
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA
TIME
BEST ANIMATED FILM
ONWARD
OVER THE MOON
SOUL
THE WILLOUGHBYS
WOLFWALKERS
BEST DIRECTOR
Emerald Fennell, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Spike Lee, DA 5 BLOODS
George C. Wolfe, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Florian Zeller, THE FATHER
Chloe Zhao, NOMADLAND
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
MANK - Jack Fincher
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS - Eliza Hittman
PALM SPRINGS - Andy Siara
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN - Emerald Fennell
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 - Aaron Sorkin
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE FATHER - Florian Zeller
FIRST COW - Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond
I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS - Charlie Kaufman
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM - Ruben Santiago-Hudson
NOMADLAND - Chloe Zhao
BEST ACTOR
Riz Ahmed, SOUND OF METAL
Chadwick Boseman, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Anthony Hopkins, THE FATHER
Delroy Lindo, DA 5 BLOODS
Steven Yeun, MINARI
BEST ACTRESS
Nicole Beharie, MISS JUNETEENTH
Viola Davis, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Sidney Flanigan, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Frances McDormand, NOMADLAND
Carey Mulligan, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Chadwick Boseman, DA 5 BLOODS
Bo Burnham, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Sacha Baron Cohen, THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Frank Langella, THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Bill Murray, ON THE ROCKS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Maria Bakalova, BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
Olivia Colman, THE FATHER
Talia Ryder, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
Amanda Seyfried, MANK
Youn Yuh-jung, MINARI
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
DA 5 BLOODS
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
MINARI
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
DA 5 BLOODS
EMMA
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
MANK
NOMADLAND
TENET
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
EMMA
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
MANK
TENET
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
EMMA
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
MANK
SYLVIE’S LOVE
BEST MAKEUP
BIRDS OF PREY
EMMA
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
POSSESSOR
BEST EDITING
THE FATHER
NOMADLAND
TENET
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
WANDER DARKLY
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
MANK
THE MIDNIGHT SKY
MINARI
SOUL
TENET
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Husavik” - EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: THE STORY OF FIRE SAGA
“Loyal Brave True” - MULAN
“Speak Now” - ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
“This Day” - JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
“Wuhan Flu” - BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
THE INVISIBLE MAN
JINGLE JANGLE: A CHRISTMAS JOURNEY
THE MIDNIGHT SKY
TENET
WONDER WOMAN 1984
SPECIAL AWARDS
TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Honors the work of an artist who truly pushes the boundaries of the medium in terms of form and content
Radha Blank
Chadwick Boseman
Emerald Fennell
Steve McQueen
Chloe Zhao
IMPACT AWARD
Given to a person whose work has had a positive impact on society
Chadwick Boseman
Garrett Bradley
Scott H. Dehn
Ryan Oestreich
Chloe Zhao
CIC AWARD NOMINATIONS BY THE NUMBERS
FILMS:
9: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
7: Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7
6: Da 5 Bloods, The Father, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Nomadland
5: Promising Young Woman, Tenet
4: Emma, Minari, Never Really Sometimes Always
3: Soul
2: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, First Cow, The Midnight Sky, One Night in Miami
1: Another Round, Bacurau, Beanpole, Birds of Prey, Boys State, Dick Johnson is Dead, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, His House, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, The Invisible Man, The Life Ahead, Miss Juneteenth, Mulan, On the Rocks, Onward, Over the Moon, Palm Springs, Possessor, Rising Phoenix, The Social Dilemma, Soul, Sound of Metal, Sylvia’s Love, Time, Wander Darkly, The Willoughbys, Wolfwalkers, Wonder Woman 1984
LOGO DESIGNED BY MEENTS ILLUSTRATED
