RSS 2.0 FeedJanuary 11, 2012, Film
Kansas City Film Critics Circle selects 2011's best cinema
"The Descendants," "Tree of Life," and "Beginners" tied with two awards apiece but which films took home KCFCC's top prizes?
The Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) gave its top prize to The Descendants on Monday night at the 45th Annual Loutzenhiser Awards, which was held at the Screenland Theater in Kansas City, Missouri. The voting results in the 12 eligible categories were often decided by a razor thin margin as the KCFCC’s 34 members had several nominations to choose from before reaching a majority. Although there were three films that won two awards each, there was not one singular film that dominated this year’s awards meeting, which reflects just how diverse the quality of cinema was in 2011. The following is a list of all of Monday night’s winners. To learn more about the KCFCC, visit www.kcfcc.org.
Best Film – The Descendants
Best Director – Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Best Actor – George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Actress – Kirsten Dunst, Melancholia
Best Supporting Actor – Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Supporting Actress – Jessica Chastain, The Tree of Life
Best Animated Film – Rango
Best Foreign Film – A Separation (Iran)
Best Documentary – Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Best Original Screenplay – Mike Mills, Beginners
Best Adapted Screenplay – Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Moneyball
Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror Film - Hugo
Indie Film Editor
Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.
In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.
Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.
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