Since last year, I have given out imaginary awards to the films I love most or hold in high regard for the year. But first, here are my top 20 films of 2018 (in alphanumeric order):
- 3 FACES – Jafar Panahi
- ANNIHILATION – Alex Garland
- BLACKkKLANSMAN – Spike Lee
- BLACK PANTHER – Ryan Coogler
- BORDER – Ali Abbasi
- BURNING – Lee Chang-dong
- FIRST MAN – Damien Chazelle
- HARD PAINT – Filipe Matzembacher & Marcio Reolon
- HAPPY AS LAZZARO – Alice Rohrwacher
- HEIRESSES, THE – Marcelo Martinessi
- ISLE OF DOGS – Wes Anderson
- LEAVE NO TRACE – Debra Granik
- NON-FICTION – Olivier Assayas
- ONE CUT OF THE DEAD – Shin’ichirô Ueda
- ROMA – Alfonso Cuaron
- SEARCHING – Aneesh Chaganty
- SHIRKERS – Sandi Tan
- SHUT UP AND PLAY THE PIANO – Philipp Jedicke
- SUSPIRIA – Luca Guadagnino
- WILD PEAR TREE, THE – Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Golden Snoopy – BURNING for Lee Chang-dong
For an enigmatic and haunting mystery that patiently develops and then becomes deeply-intertwined within its own ambiguities, in what is another hypnotic gem by South Korea’s finest working filmmaker.
Silver Snoopy – ROMA for Alfonso Cuaron
For a meticulously-realised period drama that is a testament to cinema’s power to capture life, memory and emotion in a restraint if audacious work that sees a highly-respected filmmaker continuing to operate at his peak.
Silver Snoopy (Special Mention) – HAPPY AS LAZZARO for Alice Rohrwacher
For a truly mesmerising and thematically-dense work of art from one of the most exciting directors working today.
- Best Director – THE WILD PEAR TREE for Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Runner-up: SUSPIRIA for Luca Guadagnino)
- Best Lead Actor – CAPERNAUM for Zain Al Rafeea (Runner-up: GIRL for Victor Polster)
- Best Lead Actress – BORDER for Eva Melander (Runner-up: THE FAVOURITE for Olivia Colman)
- Best Supporting Actor – NON-FICTION for Vincent Macaigne (Runner-up: THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT for Bruno Ganz)
- Best Supporting Actress – HIGH LIFE for Juliette Binoche (Runner-up: CAPERNAUM for Yordanos Shiferaw)
- Best Ensemble Cast – SUSPIRIA (Runner-up: ONE CUT OF THE DEAD)
- Best Cinematography – ROMA (Runner-up: BURNING)
- Best Film Editing – SHIRKERS (Runner-up: SEARCHING)
- Best Original Screenplay – ONE CUT OF THE DEAD (Runner-up: NON-FICTION)
- Best Adapted Screenplay – BLACKkKLANSMAN (Runner-up: BURNING)
- Best Production Design – ISLE OF DOGS (Runner-up: SUSPIRIA)
- Best Costume Design – BLACK PANTHER (Runner-up: THE FAVOURITE)
- Best Makeup & Hair – BORDER (Runner-up: THE FAVOURITE)
- Best Original Score – BURNING (Runner-up: BLACK PANTHER)
- Best Use of Source Music – THE WILD PEAR TREE (Runner-up: BLACKkKLANSMAN)
- Best Sound – ROMA (Runner-up: FIRST MAN)
- Best Sound Design – SUSPIRIA (Runner-up: MANTA RAY)
- Best Visual Effects – ANNIHILATION (Runner-up: READY PLAYER ONE)
- Discovery Award (Filmmaking) – SHUT UP AND PLAY THE PIANO for Philipp Jedicke
- Discovery Award (Acting) – LEAVE NO TRACE for Thomasin McKenzie
