The anticipation is electric — the 2025 New York Film Critics Circle Awards are here, and cinephiles everywhere are holding their breath. These aren’t just any film awards; they’re a crucial early signal of where the awards season might be heading, while also reflecting the fiercely individual tastes of the Circle’s members. Passion for cinema, not just the chase for Oscars, drives the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC). Among its diverse membership are IndieWire’s own critics—Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich, and Ryan Lattanzio—who champion artistry over publicity.
In 2024, the NYFCC crowned Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist as Best Film, setting a distinct tone for that awards season. The group’s picks often overlapped with the Oscars, as seen when Flow won Best Animated Feature and names like Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), and Sean Baker (Best Screenplay for Anora) all went on to claim Academy recognition. But here’s where it gets interesting—the Circle also celebrated incredible talent the Oscars overlooked. Remember Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who took home Best Actress? Or RaMell Ross, whose visionary direction and the stunning cinematography of Nickel Boys (declared IndieWire’s best film of 2024) proved that artistic merit doesn’t always align with Oscar buzz? This is where the NYFCC dares to differ—and proudly so.
As always, the upcoming awards remind us why film criticism still matters in an age of hype. The NYFCC was founded not to court trends but to honor genuine cinematic excellence. A historical example says it best: in January 1942, director John Ford personally attended the NYFCC Awards dinner to accept his Best Director win for How Green Was My Valley. He skipped every other ceremony that year—including the Oscars—to focus on his naval duties. Yet for Ford, one event was simply too significant to miss: the New York Film Critics Circle Awards. That tradition of respect continues, with this year’s ceremony set for January 6, 2026.
Now, the winners everyone’s talking about:
- Best First Film: Eephus
- Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
- Best Non-Fiction Feature: My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow
- Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another
- Best Supporting Actress: To be announced
- Best Cinematography: To be announced
- Best International Film: The Secret Agent
- Best Screenplay: To be announced
- Best Actor: To be announced
- Best Actress: To be announced
- Best Director: To be announced
- Best Film: To be announced
But here’s the question film lovers can’t help debating: does the NYFCC’s taste truly influence awards season, or has it become more of a countercultural statement against it? Are these critics trendsetters—or are they deliberately swimming against the mainstream current? Share your take: should the NYFCC follow Oscar momentum, or continue to be cinema’s boldest independent voice?
