Dallas-Fort Worth Critics Name the Best Films of 2016

The deeply personal coming-of-age drama Moonlight is the big winner in the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association’s reckoning of the best films of 2016. The film was also given the Russell Smith Award, named for the late Dallas Morning News critic and given to the year’s best “low-budget or cutting edge independent film,” while director Barry Jenkins and Mahershala Ali — brilliant playing a morally conflicted drug dealer in the movie’s first act — won their respective categories.

Casey Affleck was named best actor for his role in Manchester by the Sea, which also won for best screenplay. The 33 North Texas journalists in the association chose Natalie Portman as best actress for her portrayal of the former First Lady in Jackie.

The full list of winners and runners-up, listed in order of votes received, is below. (The “best picture” hyperlinks will take you to our reviews of each movie.)

BEST PICTURE

Winner: MOONLIGHT

Runners-up: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; LA LA LAND; HELL OR HIGH WATER; ARRIVAL; JACKIE; LOVING; 20TH CENTURY WOMEN; HACKSAW RIDGE; SILENCE

BEST ACTOR

Winner: Casey Affleck, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Runners-up: Denzel Washington, FENCES; Joel Edgerton, LOVING; Ryan Gosling, LA LA LAND; Tom Hanks, SULLY

BEST ACTRESS

Winner: Natalie Portman, JACKIE

Runners-up: Emma Stone, LA LA LAND; Ruth Negga, LOVING; Amy Adams, ARRIVAL; Annette Bening, 20TH CENTURY WOMEN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Winner: Mahershala Ali, MOONLIGHT

Runners-up: Jeff Bridges, HELL OR HIGH WATER; Michael Shannon, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS; Lucas Hedges, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; Ben Foster, HELL OR HIGH WATER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Winner: Viola Davis, FENCES

Runners-up: Naomie Harris, MOONLIGHT; Michelle Williams, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; Greta Gerwig, 20TH CENTURY WOMEN; Judy Davis, THE DRESSMAKER

BEST DIRECTOR

Winner: Barry Jenkins, MOONLIGHT

Runners-up: Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND; Kenneth Lonergan, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA; David Mackenzie, HELL OR HIGH WATER; Denis Villeneuve, ARRIVAL

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Winner: THE HANDMAIDEN

Runners-up: TONI ERDMANN; ELLE; NERUDA; THE SALESMAN

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Winner: TOWER

Runners-up: 13TH; GLEASON; I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO; WEINER