The London Film Critics' Circle is the name by which the Film Section of The Critics' Circle is known internationally.
The word London was added because it was thought the term Critics' Circle Film Awards did not convey the full context of the awards' origins; the LFCC wished its annual Awards to be recognised on film advertising, especially in the United States, and in production notes.
The Critics' Circle, founded in 1913, is an association for working British critics. Film critics first became eligible for membership of the Circle in 1926. The Film section now has more than 120 members drawn from publications and the broadcasting media throughout the United Kingdom.
Film section members of the Critics' Circle will have worked as a critic or have written or broadcast informed analytical features or programmes about film for British publications and media for at least a year, their income mostly derived from reviewing and writing about film.
The Critics' Circle Film Awards, instituted in 1980 and known for several years as they are awarded annually by the Film section of the Critics' Circle.
Voted for by all members of the Film section, the Awards have become a major event in London, presented at a dinner dance held in a large West End hotel. Since 1995 they have been a charity event in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
Over time the Award categories have gradually changed, some added, some dropped. For some categories this means that winners were not necessarily declared or listed in each of the Awards year.
In 2007, following widespread objections from Irish actors and filmmakers at being nominated for "Best British" awards, it was decided that Irish filmmakers, actors and others involved in the film industry would be eligible for awards which do not have the word "British" in the title. To that end the titles of several of the awards were amended to exclude the word "British". The Attenborough Award now goes to the best "British" and/or "Irish" film of the year, while the two British Supporting Actor awards lost the word "British" so that actors who regard themselves as either British and Irish (or both) are eligible for the supporting acting awards. The policy of including Irish candidates in certain "British" categories continues to generate controversy and ridicule.
Since 2007, the Newcomer Award was divided into two Breakthrough Awards, one for Acting, the other for Filmmaking. Previously filmmakers and actors had competed against each other for the Newcomer award.
Past and present award categories include:
Film of the Year (1980–present)Foreign Language Film of the Year (1980–present)Director of the Year (1980–present)Screenwriter of the Year (1980–present)Actor of the YearActress of the YearSupporting Actor of the YearSupporting Actress of the YearInternational Newcomer of the YearThe Attenborough Award for the Best British or Irish Film of the YearBritish or Irish Film of the Year (1991–present)British or Irish Director of the YearBritish or Irish Screenwriter of the YearBritish of Irish Producer of the YearBritish Technical Achievement of the YearBritish or Irish Actor of the YearBritish of Irish Actress of the YearThe Dilys Powell AwardBritish Newcomer of the Year (now divided into two Breakthrough awards for Acting and Filmmaking)Actor of the Year (TIE)William Hurt –
Kiss of the Spider WomanBob Hoskins –
Mona LisaScreenwriter of the YearWoody Allen –
Hannah and Her SistersDirector of the YearAkira Kurosawa –
RanFilm of the YearA Room with a ViewActor of the Year (TIE)Sean Connery –
The UntouchablesGary Oldman –
Prick Up Your EarsScreenwriter of the YearAlan Bennett –
Prick Up Your EarsDirector of the YearStanley Kubrick –
Full Metal JacketFilm of the YearHope and GloryActor of the Year (TIE)Stephane Audran –
Babette's FeastLeo McKern –
Traveling NorthScreenwriter of the YearDavid Mamet –
House of GamesDirector of the YearJohn Huston –
The DeadFilm of the YearHouse of GamesActor of the YearDaniel Day-Lewis –
My Left FootScreenwriter of the YearChristopher Hampton –
Dangerous LiaisonsFilm of the YearDistant Voices, Still LivesActor of the YearPhilippe Noiret –
Cinema ParadisoScreenwriter of the YearWoody Allen –
Crimes and MisdemeanorsDirector of the YearWoody Allen –
Crimes and MisdemeanorsFilm of the YearCrimes and MisdemeanorsActor of the YearGérard Depardieu –
Cyrano de BergeracActress of the YearSusan Sarandon –
Thelma & Louise,
White PalaceBritish Actor of the YearAlan Rickman –
Close My Eyes,
Truly, Madly, Deeply,
Quigley Down Under,
Robin Hood: Prince of ThievesBritish Director of the YearAlan Parker –
The CommitmentsBritish Screenwriter of the YearDick Clement,
Ian La Frenais,
Roddy Doyle –
The CommitmentsBritish Film of the YearLife Is SweetScreenwriter of the YearDavid Mamet –
HomicideDirector of the YearRidley Scott –
Thelma & LouiseFilm of the YearThelma & LouiseActor of the YearRobert Downey Jr. –
ChaplinActress of the YearJudy Davis –
Husbands and Wives,
Barton Fink,
Naked LunchBritish Actor of the YearDaniel Day-Lewis –
The Last of the MohicansBritish Director of the YearNeil Jordan –
The Crying GameBritish Film of the YearHowards EndBritish Screenwriter of the YearNeil Jordan –
The Crying GameDirector of the YearRobert Altman –
The PlayerFilm of the YearUnforgivenNewcomer of the YearBaz Luhrmann –
Strictly BallroomScreenwriter of the YearMichael Tolkin –
The PlayerActor of the YearAnthony Hopkins –
The Remains of the DayActress of the YearHolly Hunter –
The PianoBritish Actor of the YearDavid Thewlis –
NakedBritish Actress of the YearMiranda Richardson –
FataleBritish Director of the YearKen Loach –
Raining StonesBritish Film of the YearThe Remains of the DayBritish Screenwriter of the YearRoddy Doyle –
The SnapperDirector of the YearJames Ivory –
The Remains of the DayFilm of the YearThe PianoNewcomer of the YearQuentin Tarantino –
Reservoir DogsScreenwriter of the YearHarold Ramis,
Danny Rubin –
Groundhog DaySpecial AwardKate Maberly –
The Secret GardenActor of the YearJohn Travolta –
Pulp FictionActress of the YearLinda Fiorentino –
The Last SeductionBritish Actor of the YearRalph Fiennes –
Schindler's ListBritish Actress of the YearCrissy Rock –
Ladybird, LadybirdBritish Director of the YearMike Newell –
Four Weddings and a FuneralBritish Film of the YearFour Weddings and a FuneralBritish Producer of the YearDuncan Kenworthy –
Four Weddings and a FuneralBritish Screenwriter of the YearRichard Curtis –
Four Weddings and a FuneralDirector of the YearSteven Spielberg –
Schindler's ListFilm of the YearSchindler's ListNewcomer of the YearJim Carrey –
The Mask,
Ace Ventura: Pet DetectiveScreenwriter of the YearQuentin Tarantino –
Pulp FictionSpecial AwardHugh Grant –
Four Weddings and a FuneralActor of the YearJohnny Depp –
Ed Wood, Don Juan DeMarcoActress of the YearNicole Kidman –
To Die ForBritish Actor of the YearNigel Hawthorne –
The Madness of King GeorgeBritish Actress of the YearKate Winslet –
Heavenly CreaturesBritish Director of the YearMichael Radford –
Il Postino: The PostmanBritish Film of the YearThe Madness of King GeorgeBritish Newcomer of the YearDanny Boyle –
Shallow GraveBritish Screenwriter of the YearAlan Bennett –
The Madness of King GeorgeDirector of the YearPeter Jackson –
Heavenly CreaturesFilm of the YearBabeScreenwriter of the YearPaul Attanasio –
Quiz Show,
DisclosureActor of the YearMorgan Freeman –
SevenActress of the YearFrances McDormand –
FargoBritish Actor of the YearIan McKellen –
Richard IIIEwan McGregor –
Trainspotting, Brassed Off, Emma, The Pillow BookBritish Actress of the YearBrenda Blethyn –
Secrets & LiesBritish Director of the YearMike Leigh –
Secrets & LiesBritish Newcomer of the YearEmily Watson –
Breaking the WavesBritish Producer of the YearAndrew Macdonald –
TrainspottingBritish Screenwriter of the YearEmma Thompson –
Sense and SensibilityDirector of the YearJoel Coen –
FargoFilm of the YearSecrets & LiesScreenwriter of the YearJoel Coen and Ethan Coen –
Fargo