Three Billboards, Dunkirk and Paddington 2 among London Film Critics winners

A group of London-based critics has picked Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri as its best film of 2017.

Bereaved mother Frances McDormand challenges authority in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Frances McDormand won one of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’s three prizes at the London Film Critics Circle Awards

The  London Film Critics Circle also followed the Golden Globes in naming its star Frances McDormand as the best actress of the year and Martin McDonagh was given the best screenplay award. He missed out in the directing category to The Florida Project‘s Sean Baker, who – like McDonagh – missed out on an Oscar nomination.

Call Me By Your Name’s Timothée Chalamet was the Circle’s best actor of last year, while the supporting awards went to Phantom Thread’s Lesley Manville and Hugh Grant, for his turn in Paddington 2.

The London Film Critics picked Dunkirk as their favourite British or Irish film of 2017

The Critics Circle also have categories reserved for films with British or Irish links, to help ensure that they encourage home-grown talent. Dunkirk was named the Best British or Irish film – although Three Billboards, with British producers and backed by Film 4, is widely regarded as being British itself.

There was less confusion in the British acting categories, which saw Sally Hawkins honoured for her roles in The Shape of Water, Paddington 2 and Maudie and Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya.

And three awards looking ahead to the future of the British film industry, saw the director of God’s Own Country, Frances Lee, honoured as the breakthrough British or Irish filmmaker, Harris Dickinson from Beach Rats named the Young British or Irish performer of the year and Dionne Edwards’ We Love Moses collecting the prize for the best British or Irish short film.

As their favourite foreign film of 2017, the critics picked Elle, which missed out on an Oscar nomination a year earlier.

Accepting her award recognising “excellence in film,” the actress Kate Winslet, who won an Oscar for the Harvey Weinstein-produced The Reader, expressed regret at some of the people she’d worked with, but didn’t mention any names

And here is the full list of winners:

Full list of winners:

FILM OF THE YEAR
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR: The Attenborough Award

Dunkirk

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Sean Baker – The Florida Project

SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR
Martin McDonagh – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Sponsored by Heaven Skincare
Frances McDormand – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Timothée Chalamet – Call Me By Your Name

SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR: Sponsored by Cameo
Lesley Manville – Phantom Thread

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Hugh Grant – Paddington 2

BRITISH/IRISH ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Sally Hawkins – The Shape of Water/Maudie/Paddington 2

BRITISH/IRISH ACTOR OF THE YEAR: Sponsored by Millbank & CooperSearle
Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out

YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR: Sponsored by The May Fair Hotel
Harris Dickinson – Beach Rats

BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER: The Philip French Award
Francis Lee – God’s Own Country

BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR
We Love Moses – Dionne Edwards

FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
Elle

DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
I Am Not Your Negro

TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Blade Runner 2049 – Dennis Gassner, production design

EXCELLENCE IN FILM: The Dilys Powell Award
Kate Winslet