Film News: Chicago Film Critics Association Best Film of 2021 is ‘The Power of the Dog’

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CHICAGO – The sweeping and majestically searing “The Power of the Dog,” directed by Jane Campion, was named Best Picture in 2021 by the Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) on Wednesday, December 15th. The film also received recognition as Best Director, Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), Supporting Actor (Kodi Smit-McPhee), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography and Original Score.

Other major honors included Best Actress Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in “Spencer” and Best Supporting Actress Ruth Negga for “Passing.” Other multiple award winners were “The French Dispatch” (Best Editing and Production Design), “Licorice Pizza” (Best Original Screenplay and Most Promising Performer for Alana Haim) and Spencer (Also Best Costume Design).

“The Power of the Dog” is the 2021 CFCA Best Picture
Photo credit: Netflix

Other highlights among the winners this year include Best Animated Feature “Flee,” Best Documentary “Summer of Soul. Best Foreign Language Film “Drive My Car” and the recipient of the Milos Stehlik Breakthrough Filmmaker Award was Michael Sarnoski, writer/director of “Pig.” 

The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) is an organization that oversees many events in the Chicagoland area, including the Chicago Film Critics Awards, the Chicago Critics Film Festival and various film discussions and events around the city and surrounding suburbs. The CFCA Awardees for the best of 2021 films are…

Best Picture The Power of the Dog

Best Director Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”

Best Actress Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”

Best Actor Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Power of the Dog”

Best Supporting Actress Ruth Negga, “Passing”

Best Supporting Actor Kodi Smit-McPhee, “The Power of the Dog”

Best Original Screenplay ”Licorice Pizza” by Paul Thomas Anderson


Best Adapted Screenplay “The Power of the Dog” by Jane Campion

Best Foreign Language Film Drive My Car

Best Documentary Summer of Soul

Best Animated Feature Flee

Best Art Direction/Production Design The French Dispatch

Best Cinematography “The Power of the Dog,” Ari Wegner

Best Use of Visual Effects Dune

Best Editing “The French Dispatch,” Andrew Weisblum

Best Original Score “The Power of the Dog,” Jonny Greenwood

Most Promising Performer Alana Haim, “Licorice Pizza”

Most Promising Filmmaker Michael Sarnoski, “Pig”

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com