Nominations Announced: The 46th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
The UK’s leading film critics have announced their nominations for the 46th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another has topped the nominations with nine nods overall, followed closely by Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet at eight. Both films were nominated for Film of the Year, with their respective leads, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jessie Buckley, also nominated in the acting categories. The winners in all categories will be announced at The May Fair Hotel in London on 1 February 2026 during a ceremony hosted by venerable critic Mark Kermode.
Jane Crowther, London Critics’ Circle film section chair, said, “At a time when AI and homogeny seems to be the shorthand answer to everything, it’s encouraging to see the films that our members voted for are teeming with human life, creativity and unique perspectives. Boasting bold, vital stories, real experiences and artistry, these movies and their creative teams are evidence that not everything can be made by an algorithm. The LFCC is delighted to be inviting such a diverse group of artists to our awards in February to celebrate their achievements.”
Last year’s ceremony saw The Brutalist win Film of the Year, while Ralph Fiennes won Actor of the Year for his role in Conclave, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste won Actress of the Year for Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths. Zoe Saldaña was honoured twice, first with the Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation and for Supporting Actress of the Year for her Spanish-language turn in Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Pérez. Daniel Craig was awarded the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film. This year’s recipients for both the Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation and the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film will be announced at a later date.
The London Film Critics’ Circle is one of the oldest and most distinguished critical bodies in the UK, and is part of the wider Critics’ Circle, which was established in 1913. The awards are voted on by 207 members of the Film section, who represent print, digital, broadcast and social outlets. The vast majority of Film Review’s roster of critics are members of the London Film Critics’ Circle, including executive editor James Cameron-Wilson, Mansel Stimpson, Michael Darvell, George Savvides and Wendy Lloyd. Films are eligible if they are released in UK cinemas or on premiere streaming services between mid-February 2024 and mid-February 2025. The awards have been presented annually since 1980. The film section is chaired by Jane Crowther, editor of Hollywood Authentic.
46th London Critics’ Circle Film Award Nominations:
FILM OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Hollywood Authentic
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
The Mastermind
One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Sirāt
Sorry, Baby
Train Dreams
Weapons
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirāt
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
Cover-Up
One to One: John & Yoko
Orwell: 2+2=5
The Perfect Neighbor
Riefenstahl
ANIMATED FEATURE OF THE YEAR
Arco
Elio
KPop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
THE ATTENBOROUGH AWARD: BRITISH/IRISH FILM OF THE YEAR Sponsored by BFI Player
The Ballad of Wallis Island
Bugonia
Hamnet
I Swear
Pillion
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler - Sinners
Óliver Laxe - Sirāt
Josh Safdie - Marty Supreme
Chloé Zhao - Hamnet
SCREENWRITER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Celtx
Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler - Sinners
Josh Safdie & Ronald Bronstein - Marty Supreme
Eva Victor - Sorry, Baby
Chloé Zhao & Maggie O'Farrell - Hamnet
ACTOR OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Cinemadix
Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon
Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent
Josh O’Connor - The Mastermind
ACTRESS OF THE YEAR Sponsored by WS Hair Pro – Imperial Collection
Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Jennifer Lawrence - Die My Love
Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
Eva Victor - Sorry, Baby
SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Seesaw Media
Benicio del Toro - One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo - Sinners
Sean Penn - One Battle After Another
Alexander Skarsgård - Pillion
SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Odessa A'zion - Marty Supreme
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value
Amy Madigan - Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku - Sinners
Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Regent Street Cinema
Robert Aramayo - I Swear/Palestine 36
Miles Caton - Sinners
Frank Dillane - Urchin/Harvest
Chase Infiniti - One Battle After Another
Eva Victor - Sorry, Baby
THE PHILIP FRENCH AWARD: BREAKTHROUGH BRITISH/IRISH FILMMAKER
Tom Basden & Tim Key - The Ballad of Wallis Island
Laura Carreira - On Falling
Akinola Davies Jr. - My Father’s Shadow
Harris Dickinson - Urchin
Harry Lighton - Pillion
BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR (for body of work) Sponsored by BritBox
Naomi Ackie - Sorry, Baby/Mickey 17/The Thursday Murder Club
Robert Aramayo - I Swear/Palestine 36
Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
David Jonsson - Wasteman/The Long Walk
Josh O’Connor - The Mastermind/The History of Sound/Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
YOUNG BRITISH/IRISH PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Scott Ellis Watson - I Swear
Ebada Hassan - Brides
Jacobi Jupe - Hamnet
Noah Jupe - Hamnet/The Carpenter’s Son
Alfie Williams - 28 Years Later
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Sponsored by Abbey Road Studios
Die My Love - Editing, Toni Froschhamer
The Ice Tower - Production Design, Julia Irribarria
Marty Supreme - Casting, Jennifer Venditti
The Mastermind - Music, Rob Mazurek
One Battle After Another - Editing, Andy Jurgensen
Sinners - Music, Ludwig Göransson
Sirāt - Sound design, Laia Casanovas
Sound of Falling - Costume Design, Sabrina Krämer
Train Dreams - Cinematography, Adolpho Veloso
Weapons - Makeup and Hairstyling, Leo Satkovich, Melizah Wheat and Jason Collins
BRITISH/IRISH SHORT FILM OF THE YEAR
Two Black Boys In Paradise - Directed by Baz Sells
Leaving Ikordoru in 1999 - Directed by Rashida Seriki
I Saw the Face of God in the Jet Wash - Directed by Mark Jenkin
Neil Armstrong and the Langholmites - Directed by Duncan Cowles
Milk - Directed by Naomi Waring
THE DILYS POWELL AWARD: EXCELLENCE IN FILM
TBA
THE DEREK MALCOLM AWARD FOR INNOVATION
TBA
About The Critics' Circle:
Established in 1913, the Critics' Circle is the oldest organisation of its kind in the world, with more than 400 members who work in the UK media as critics of art and architecture, books, dance, drama, film, and music. Chaired by Rich Cline, the Film Section membership is made up of 207 UK film critics, broadcasters and writers, including the BBC's Mark Kermode, Metro's Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw, and Film Review’s Executive Editor James Cameron-Wilson. The awards have been presented annually since 1980. For further information, please visit: https://criticscircle.org.uk/
