The UK’s leading film writers and broadcasters honoured Paul Thomas Anderson’s darkly comedic thriller One Battle After Another with four prizes at the 46th annual London Critics’ Circle Film Awards, held at London’s May Fair Hotel and hosted by Circle member Mark Kermode. Alongside Film of the Year, Anderson won Director of the Year and Screenwriter of the Year, while Sean Penn was named Supporting Actor of the Year for his role in the film.
Jessie Buckley won Actress of the Year for her role in Chloé Zhao’s Shakespearean drama Hamnet, while Timothée Chalamet took Actor of the Year for Josh Safdie’s riotous sports film Marty Supreme. Ryan Coogler’s genre-bending vampire filmSinners earned the Technical Achievement Award for Ludwig Göransson’s music, and Amy Madigan won Supporting Actress of the Year for her villainous turn in another horror film, Weapons.
In categories dedicated to British and Irish talent, newcomer Harry Lighton’s queer biker drama Pillion won two awards for British/Irish Film of the Year and Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker. Other winners included Josh O’Connor, who was awarded British/Irish Performer of the Year for his roles in The Mastermind, The History of Sound and Wake Up Dead Man, and Alfie Williams, named Young British/Irish Performer of the Year for 28 Years Later. Neil Armstrong and the Langholmites, directed by Duncan Cowles, took home British/Irish Short Film of the Year.
Another British star, Robert Aramayo, won the prize for Breakthrough Performer of the Year, for his roles in both I Swear and Palestine 36. Joachim Trier’s father-daughter drama Sentimental Value won the award for Foreign Language Film of the Year, Documentary of the Year went to Geeta Gandbhir’s harrowing The Perfect Neighbor, and musical sensation KPop Demon Hunters took Animated Film of the Year.
Following previous recipients Colman Domingo and Zoë Saldaña, British performer Cynthia Erivo received the Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation, in honour of a career spanning roles in Widows, Harriet, Bad Times at the El Royale and the Wickedfilms.
The night’s second honorary award, the Dilys Powell Award for Excellence in Film, went to Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who most recently helmed a reimagining of Frankenstein, and whose numerous acclaimed works include The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone.Previous winners of the award include Daniel Craig, Michelle Yeoh, Pedro Almodóvar and Kate Winslet.
Jane Crowther, chair of the Critics’ Circle Film section, said: “The winners of the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards show the passion of our voting membership for fresh intriguing stories, committed performances and exemplary craft. We congratulate each and every one of them.”
The 46th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards were voted for by the 207 members of the Film Section of the Critics’ Circle, the UK’s longest-standing and most prestigious critics’ organisation. Films were automatically eligible if they were released in UK cinemas or on premiere streaming services between mid-February 2025 and mid-February 2026.
Sponsors for the event included The May Fair Hotel, Birra Moretti, Double Dutch, Fords Gin, Excel Executive Cars, Gusbourne Sparkling Wine, Hackney Gelato, Lay & Wheeler, MTA Digital, Onlooker.tv and Wild Idol. Awards category sponsors include Abbey Road Studios, BFI Player, BritBox, Celtx, Cinemadix, Heaven Skincare, Hollywood Authentic, Regent Street Cinema, SeeSaw Media and WS Hair Pro. The awards have been presented annually since 1980. The film section is chaired by Jane Crowther, editor of Hollywood Authentic.
