"Brokeback Mountain" named Best Picture of 2005 while director Ang Lee was named Best Director for the same film by the New York Film Critics Circle
"Brokeback Mountain" scored with the New York Film Critics Circle with nods for Best Picture, Best Director for Ang Lee and Best Actor for Heath Ledger. The 30 member group voted for its 71st annual awards for excellence in cinema today at the Algonquin Hotel in New York.
Wong Kar Wai's "2046" was selected as Best Foreign-Language Film, with "2046" lensmen Christopher Doyle, Lai Yiu Fai and Kwan Pun Leung sharing honors for Best Cinematography. Hayao Miyazakis animated adventure "Howl's Moving Castle, " was named Best animated feature.
Werner Herzog will be honored for two of the Best Non-Fiction Films for his documentaries "Grizzly Man" and "White Diamond" and Best First Film was given to filmmaker Bennett Miller for "Capote." "The Squid and the Whale" written by Noah Baumbach was voted Best Screenplay.
Reese Witherspoon was named was named Best Actress for "Walk the Line." The award for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress went to William Hurt and Maria Bello for their work in "A History of Violence."
NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE
The New York Film Critics Circle is comprised of critics from daily and weekly newspapers and magazines based in New York. The group is the oldest critical group in America and its annual awards are considered a precursor of the Oscar nominations. Newsday film critic Gene Seymour, the NYFCCs current chairman, will host the groups award dinner January 8, 2006, at Ciprianis 42nd Street in Manhattan.
NYFCC official website, www.nyfcc.com.