Today, the Washington Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) unveiled its nominees for the 2024 WAFCA Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in cinema. This year’s nominations reflect the diverse and exceptional talent in the film industry, with 47 films vying for top honors across 21 categories.
Founded in 2002, WAFCA has grown into a mainstay of film criticism, comprising over
50 dedicated critics from the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas. The
membership represents a cross-section of media platforms, including broadcast, print,
and digital outlets, reflecting the evolving landscape of film criticism. In its 23rd year, the
annual WAFCA Awards have solidified WAFCA as a respected voice, underscoring
thoughtful, incisive criticism and a commitment to recognizing cinematic excellence.
Leading the nominations this year is “The Brutalist” with 10 nominations, including Best
Feature, Original Screenplay, and a Director nod for Brady Corbet. The A24 film is
closely followed by “Conclave” and “Wicked” with 9 and 8 nominations respectively.
These films are a tribute to classic celluloid’s epic tales and music—they’ve
captivated critics and audiences, showcasing the best in cinema over the past year.
This year’s WAFCA Awards will also include special recognition categories, such as
Best Stunts which honors the outstanding achievement of stunt coordinators and their
teams.
WAFCA is pleased to announce the
following nominations for its 2024 Awards:
Best Original Score
“Blitz” – Hans Zimmer
“Challengers” – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
“Conclave” – Volker Bertelmann
“Nosferatu” – Robin Carolan
“The Brutalist” – Daniel Blumberg
“The Wild Robot” – Kris Bowers
Best Editing
“Anora”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“The Brutalist”
“Wicked”
Best Cinematography
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Nickel Boys”
“Nosferatu”
“The Brutalist”
Best Production Design
“Dune: Part Two”
“Gladiator II”
“Nosferatu”
“The Brutalist”
“Wicked”
Best International Film
“Dahomey”
“Emilia Pérez”
“Flow”
“I’m Still Here”
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig”
Best Documentary
“Dahomey”
“Daughters”
“Music by John Williams”
“No Other Land”
“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story”
“Will & Harper”
Best Animated Feature
“Flow”
“Inside Out 2”
“Memoir of a Snail”
“The Wild Robot”
“Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”
Best Adapted Screenplay
“Conclave” – written for the screen by Peter Straughan
“Dune: Part Two” – written for the screen by Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts
“Nickel Boys” – written for the screen by RaMell Ross, Joslyn Barnes
“Sing Sing” – written for the screen by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar
“Wicked” – written for the screen by Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox
Best Original Screenplay
“Anora” – Sean Baker
“A Real Pain” – Jesse Eisenberg
“Challengers” – Justin Kuritzkes
“The Brutalist” – Brady Corbet, Mona Fastvold
“The Substance” – Coralie Fargeat
Best Youth Performance
Alisha Weir – “Abigail”
Alyla Browne – “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
Elliott Heffernan – “Blitz”
Ian Foreman – “Exhibiting Forgiveness”
Isabel DeRoy–Olson – “Fancy Dance”
Izaac Wang – “Didi”
Zoe Ziegler – “Janet Planet”
Best Voice Performance
Amy Poehler – “Inside Out 2”
Auli’i Cravalho – “Moana 2”
Brian Tyree Henry – “Transformers One”
Lupita Nyong’o – “The Wild Robot”
Maya Hawke – “Inside Out 2”
Best Acting Ensemble
“Anora”
“Conclave”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Sing Sing”
“The Brutalist”
“Wicked”
Best Supporting Actress
Ariana Grande – “Wicked”
Aunjanue Ellis–Taylor – “Nickel Boys”
Danielle Deadwyler – “The Piano Lesson”
Isabella Rossellini – “Conclave”
Zoe Saldana – “Emilia Perez”
Best Supporting Actor
Clarence Maclin – “Sing Sing”
Denzel Washington – “Gladiator II”
Guy Pearce – “The Brutalist”
Keiran Culkin – “A Real Pain”
Yura Borisov – “Anora”
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo – “Wicked”
Demi Moore – “The Substance”
Karla Sofia Gascon – “Emilia Perez”
Marianne Jean–Baptiste – “Hard Truths”
Mikey Madison – “Anora”
Best Actor
Adrien Brody – “The Brutalist”
Colman Domingo – “Sing Sing”
Daniel Craig – “Queer”
Ralph Fiennes – “Conclave”
Timothee Chalamet – “A Complete Unknown”
Best Director
Brady Corbet – “The Brutalist”
Denis Villeneuve – “Dune: Part Two”
Edward Berger – “Conclave”
Jon M. Chu – “Wicked”
Sean Baker – “Anora”
Best Feature
“Anora” (Neon)
“Conclave” (Focus Features)
“Sing Sing” (A24)
“The Brutalist” (A24)
“Wicked” (Universal Pictures)
WAFCA ALSO HONORS:
The Joe Barber Award for Best Portrayal of Washington, DC
“Civil War”
“Daughters”
“Shirley”
“Stopping the Steal”
Best Motion Capture
Eka Darville – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Jonno Davies – “Better Man”
Kevin Durand – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Owen Teague – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Peter Macon – “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”
Best Stunts
“Deadpool and Wolverine”
“Dune: Part Two”
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
“Gladiator II”
“The Fall Guy”
The winners of the 2024 WAFCA Awards will be announced on Sunday, December 8th
at 6 PM.
Staff Writer & Media Critic for Big Gold Belt Media: NYC Actress | Twitch Streamer | Artist