2011 Awards
Indiana Film Journalists Association Announces 2011 Awards
The Indiana Film Journalists Association, an organization of journalists dedicated to promoting quality film criticism in the Hoosier State, is pleased to announce its annual film awards for 2011.
“The Artist” took top honors, winning Best Film as well as Best Director (Michel Hazanavicius) and Best Musical Score (Ludovic Bource).
“Win Win” earned two prizes, Paul Giamatti for Best Actor and Thomas McCarthy for Best Original Screenplay.
“The Descendants,” which was named runner-up for Best Film, won Best Adapted Screenplay for Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash.
Elizabeth Olsen took the Best Actress prize for “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” while Viola Davis was named Best Supporting Actress for “The Help.” Christopher Plummer took Best Supporting Actor for “Beginners.”
Winners were declared in 14 categories, with a runner-up in 13 categories. In addition, a total of 10 movies (including the winner and runner-up) were recognized as Finalists for the top prize, Best Film of the Year.
“Rango” was named Best Animated Film, “Project Nim” Best Documentary and “The Skin I Live In” Best Foreign Language Film. “The Tree of Life” was given the Original Vision Award.
Lindsay Goffman was honored with The Hoosier Award as the producer of “Dumbstruck,” a documentary about ventriloquists that was released nationally by Magnolia Pictures.
A word of explanation about the last two categories:
The Original Vision Award is meant to recognize a film that is especially innovative or groundbreaking.
The Hoosier Award recognizes a significant cinematic contribution by a person or persons with Indiana roots. As a special award, no runner-up is declared.
Best Film of the Year
Winner: “The Artist”
Runner-up: “The Descendants”
Other Finalists: “Coriolanus,” “Drive,” “Hugo,” “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” “The Muppets,” “The Skin I Live In,” “Super 8,” “The Tree of Life.”
“A rapturous movie full of passion and artistry, self-aware but not self-absorbed.” – Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap.Com About “The Artist.”
Best Animated Film
Winner: “Rango”
Runner-up: “Winnie the Pooh”
“A neon-colored, sun-baked fantasia that’s part Western spoof and part surrealist jag through the desert with Johnny Depp as our theatrically unhinged, reptilian tour guide.” – Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap.Com”
“A sweet little slice of apple pie” – Joe Shearer, The Film Yap.Com on “Winnie the Pooh”
Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: “The Skin I Live In”
Runner-up: “13 Assassins”
“The Skin I Live In” is a wonderfully twisted cinematic expedition into territory rarely traveled.” – Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap.Com
Best Documentary
Winner: “Project Nim”
Runner-up: “Into the Abyss”
“Into the Abyss, regardless of where you find yourself on the subject of capital punishment, is one of Herzog’s most deeply moving documentaries but it is also an undeniably sad film.” – Richard Propes, The Independent Critic.Com
Best Original Screenplay
Winner: Thomas McCarthy, “Win Win”
Runner-up: J.C. Chandor, “Margin Call”
“The dialogue is terrific, rolling off the actors’ tongues with an ungilded grace.” – Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap.Com on Thomas McCarthy’s screenplay for “Win Win”
Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, “The Descendants”
Runner-up: Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, “Moneyball”
Best Director
Winner: Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Runner-up: Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”
Best Actress
Winner: Elizabeth Olsen, “Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Runner-up: Tilda Swinton, “We Need To Talk About Kevin”
“Olsen’s performance here is one of the most courageous in recent memory, somewhat reminiscent of Kidman’s performance from Rabbit Hole last year but even more impactful, vulnerable and transcendent.”
– Richard Propes, The Independent Critic.Com
Best Supporting Actress
Winner: Viola Davis, “The Help”
Runner-up: Amy Ryan, “Win Win”
“Viola Davis gives a knockout performance as Aibileen.” – Christopher Lloyd, The Film Yap.ComBest Actor
Winner: Paul Giamatti, “Win Win”
Runner-up: Ralph Fiennes, “Coriolanus”
“So few actors would have been capable of portraying the fullness of Mike Flaherty, a man who virtually always does the right thing but crosses his own moral line when his family’s welfare is at stake. Giamatti’s Flaherty is quiet, unassuming, complex, sweet, funny, a bit devious and even a touch sad.” – Richard Propes, The Independent Critic.Com
Best Supporting Actor
Winner: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Runner-up: Albert Brooks, “Drive”
“Plummer embodies soulfulness and celebration and remarkable humanity all at once.- Richard Propes, The Independent Critic.Com
Best Musical Score
Winner: Ludovic Bource, “The Artist”
Runner-up: Howard Shore, “Hugo”
Original Vision Award
Winner: “The Tree of Life”
Runner-up: “The Artist”
“If you let yourself be taken in by the film, though, it can be an extremely rewarding experience.” – Eric Harris, CanneltonCritic.Com and Perry County News on “The Tree of Life”
The Hoosier Award
Winner: Lindsay Goffman, producer of “Dumbstruck”
“a genuinely entertaining, frequently funny and inspiring film that beautifully balances the stories of these five individuals, never preferring one over the other and, despite the unexpected explosive success of Terry Fator, never failing to recognize the wonder and importance of each of these five stories.’ – Richard Propes, The Independent Critic.Com
About IFJA: The Indiana Film Journalists Association was established in February 2009 with six founding members, and has since expanded its roster to 11. Members must reside in the Hoosier State and produce consistent, quality film criticism or commentary in any medium.
IFJA Member Richard Propes with Mark and Lindsay Goffman