North Carolina Film Critics Association announces nominees for Best of Cinema for 2024
'Dune: Part Two' leads with 10 nominations, followed by 'Challengers,' 'Conclave' and 'Nosferatu' with nine each
It’s “Dune: Part Two’s” world, we’re just living in it.
For the past 12 years – five of which have included votes from yours truly – the North Carolina Film Critics Association has handed out its Best of Cinema awards. This year, Denis Villeuve’s sci-fi epic is leading the pack with 10 nominations.
After thumping the "Dune” drum since the start of 2024 and voting for a nomination in nearly every category, notching the most noms is a massive victory for the “Dune” Hive. Notably, though, “Dune: Part Two” was absent in all four acting categories for the NCFCA, with the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler and Zendaya being left out. The disrespect… at least Chalamet and Zendaya each earned noms for other roles, with “A Complete Unknown” and “Challengers,” respectively.
Other top contenders in this year’s awards include “Challengers,” “Conclave” and “Nosferatu” with nine each. Seeing “The Substance” earn eight nominations was a fun surprise, too.
Winners are scheduled to be announced on January 3, 2025. Here’s a look at the full list of nominations:
BEST NARRATIVE FILM
Anora
The Brutalist
Challengers
Civil War
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
I Saw the TV Glow
Nickel Boys
Nosferatu
The Substance
BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM
Dahomey
No Other Land
Sugarcane
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Will & Harper
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Transformers One
The Wild Robot
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
All We Imagine As Light
Emilia Pérez
Evil Does Not Exist
I’m Still Here
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
BEST DIRECTOR
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Luca Guadagnino, Challengers
RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys
Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two
BEST ACTOR
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Daniel Craig, Queer
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
BEST ACTRESS
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance
Zendaya, Challengers
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing
Denzel Washington, Gladiator II
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Katy O’Brian, Love Lies Bleeding
Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE IN ANIMATION OR MIXED MEDIA
Kevin Durand, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Lupita Nyong’o, The Wild Robot
Maya Hawke, Inside Out 2
Pedro Pascal, The Wild Robot
Sarah Snook, Memoir of a Snail
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Saturday Night
Sing Sing
Wicked
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
A Different Man
Anora
The Brutalist
Challengers
The Substance
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nickel Boys
Nosferatu
Sing Sing
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Challengers
Dune: Part 2
Nickel Boys
Nosferatu
The Brutalist
BEST EDITING
Anora
Challengers
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Nickel Boys
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Nosferatu
Wicked
HAIR AND MAKEUP
A Different Man
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
The Substance
Wicked
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Nosferatu
Wicked
BEST SCORE
The Brutalist
Challengers
Conclave
Nosferatu
The Wild Robot
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Compress/Repress," Challengers
"El Mal," Emilia Pérez
"Harper and Will Go West," Will & Harper
"Kiss the Sky," The Wild Robot
"Like a Bird," Sing Sing
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Challengers
Civil War
Dune: Part Two
Nosferatu
Wicked
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
Dune: Part Two
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Nosferatu
The Substance
BEST STUNT COORDINATION
Dune: Part Two
The Fall Guy
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Gladiator II
Monkey Man
DIRECTORIAL DEBUT
Vera Drew, The People's Joker
Francis Galluppi, The Last Stop in Yuma County
Zoë Kravitz, Blink Twice
Josh Margolin, Thelma
Sean Wang, Dìdi (弟弟)
Malcolm Washington, The Piano Lesson
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Carlos Diehz, Conclave
Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing
Mikey Madison, Anora
Katy O'Brian, Love Lies Bleeding
Adam Pearson, A Different Man
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Cinematography
Roger Deakins
Christopher Doyle
Greig Fraser
Emmanuel Lubezki
Hoyte van Hoytema
KEN HANKE MEMORIAL TAR HEEL AWARD
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Civil War
Jeff Nichols, Director, The Bikeriders
Margaret Qualley, The Substance
Hunter Schafer, Cuckoo
Drew Starkey, Queer