Parasite

Parasite comes out on top at London Critics’ Circle film awards

Bong Joon-ho took home film of the year and director of the year, while Renée Zellweger, Joaquin Phoenix and Noah Baumbach were also honoured

South Korean satire Parasite has unexpectedly emerged the big winner at the London Critics’ Circle film awards, taking home prizes for film of the year and director of the year for Bong Joon-ho.

Bong’s film has been widely acclaimed elsewhere, winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May, and is nominated for four Baftas and six Oscars. Rather mysteriously, though, it failed to win foreign language film of the year, where it was beaten by the 18th-century period romance Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

The Souvenir, the drama directed by Joanna Hogg, also picked up two awards: British/Irish film of the year and Young British/Irish performer of the year for its lead Honor Swinton Byrne. Marriage Story, the divorce comedy-drama starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, likewise won two: supporting actress of the year for Laura Dern and screenwriter of the year for its writer-director Noah Baumbach.

There was little surprise in the acting categories, with Renée Zellweger and Joaquin Phoenix taking actress and actor of the year for Judy and Joker respectively, and The Irishman’s Joe Pesci alongside Dern in the supporting categories.

Full list of awards

Film of the year Parasite
Foreign language film of the year Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Documentary of the year For Sama
British/Irish film of the year (Attenborough award) The Souvenir
Director of the year Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Screenwriter of the year Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Actress of the year Renée Zellweger, Judy
Actor of the year Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Supporting actress of the year Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Supporting actor of the year Joe Pesci, The Irishman
British/Irish actress of the year Florence Pugh
British/Irish actor of the year Robert Pattinson
Young British/Irish performer of the year Honor Swinton Byrne
Breakthrough British/Irish filmmaker (Philip French award) Mark Jenkin, Bait
British/Irish short film of the year The Devil’s Harmony
Technical achievement award Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, production design, Barbara Ling
Dilys Powell award for excellence in film Sally Potter and Sandy Powell
40th anniversary award Aardman