4th annual Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards

Some surprises, which are nice to see. My comments and nomination ballot are forthcoming. Last year's COFCA winners are here.

CENTRAL OHIO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION RELEASES ITS FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR-END FILM AWARDS

(Columbus, January 12, 2006) Now in its fourth year, the Central Ohio Film Critics Association has released its list of year-end awards, honoring the best and most unique accomplishments in filmmaking during 2005.

David Cronenberg's edgy rumination on the nature and effects of violence, A History of Violence, took the group's top prize as the Best Film of the year. Cronenberg himself was awarded a citation for Best Direction.

For his lauded performance in Ang Lee's acclaimed Brokeback Mountain, Heath Ledger was named the best Lead Performance. Maria Bello was cited for her Supporting Performance in A History of Violence.

Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana won the Best Screenplay award for their adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx's short story, Brokeback Mountain.

Actor of the Year, awarded to a singularly impressive body of work, was also awarded to Heath Ledger, for his performances in Brokeback Mountain, Casanova, Lords of Dogtown and The Brothers Grimm.

The Central Ohio Film Critics Association was created in 2002 by leading print, broadcast and Internet film critics for the purpose of enriching the Columbus area's burgeoning film viewing community.

Complete list of awards:

Best Film: A History of Violence
(Runner up: Brokeback Mountain)

Best Direction: David Cronenberg, A History of Violence
(Runner up: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain)

Best Lead Performance: Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain
(Runner up: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line)

Best Supporting Performance: Maria Bello, A History of Violence
(Runner up: Amy Adams, Junebug)

Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work): Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain, Casanova, Lords of Dogtown, The Brothers Grimm)
(Runner up: Terrence Howard)

Best Ensemble: The cast of Munich
(Runner up: The cast of Brokeback Mountain)

Best Screenplay: Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, Brokeback Mountain
(Runner up: George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Good Night, and Good Luck)

Best Formal Design (for exceptional visual aesthetic): Frank Miller's Sin City
(Runner up: Brokeback Mountain)

Best Sound Design (for exceptional aural aesthetic): War of the Worlds
(Runner up: Walk the Line)

Breakthrough Film Artist: Amy Adams, for her performance in Junebug
(Runner up: Joe Wright, for directing Pride & Prejudice)

Top Ten Films:

1. A History of Violence
2. Brokeback Mountain
3. Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
4. Good Night, and Good Luck
5. Munich
6. Murderball
7. Crash
8. Frank Miller's Sin City
9. Pride & Prejudice
10. Batman Begins

COFCA would like to offer its congratulations to the winners. Voting members include critics from The Columbus Dispatch, Alive, The Other Paper, The Film Journal, WCBE, WAZU, WOSU and WOCC-TV 3.