The National Board of Review on Tuesday revealed its 2018 award winners, naming Green Book as its pick for best film.
In addition to Green Book being named best film, the star of the Universal release, Viggo Mortensen, was named best actor.
The NBR plaudits mark the first major awards and nominations for the Peter Farrelly-directed film, which was inspired by the true friendship that developed between Italian-American driver Tony Vallelonga (Mortensen) and African-American musician Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) on a road trip through the deep south during the 1960s. The film, which hit theaters on Nov. 16, has received stellar reviews and won the audience award at the 2018 Toronto Film Festival.
Bradley Cooper’s box-office and critical smash remake of A Star Is Born, from Warner Bros., received three awards from the National Board of Review. Cooper was named best director, with star Lady Gaga named best actress and co-star Sam Elliott named best supporting actor.
Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight follow-up If Beale Street Could Talk, which Annapurna is releasing in theaters starting Dec. 14, won two awards: best supporting actress (Regina King) and best adapted screenplay (Jenkins).
Other major winners include Paul Schrader’s First Reformed script (best original screenplay), Incredibles 2 (best animated feature), Leave No Trace‘s Thomasin McKenzie (breakthrough performance), Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade(best directorial debut), RBG (best documentary), Crazy Rich Asians (best ensemble) and Cold War (best foreign language film).
Additionally, Orson Welles’ recently completed final film, The Other Side of the Wind, and companion documentary They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead, were jointly recognized with the William K. Everson Film History Award.
The organization’s Freedom of Expression awards were won by 22 July and On Her Shoulders.
The NBR awards are voted on by a group of film enthusiasts, professionals, academics, filmmakers and students.
In a statement, NBR president Annie Schulhof said, “We are proud to honor Green Book as our best film — it is a warm and heartfelt look at a remarkable friendship, brought to the screen at a moment where its story of love, compassion, and shared humanity deeply resonates. We are also thrilled to award Bradley Cooper as our best director — he is an extraordinary talent behind the camera, bringing a fresh and modern perspective, as well as superb craftsmanship and tremendous heart, to the classic story of A Star is Born.”
Last year, NBR selected The Post as its best film. The previous year it picked Manchester by the Sea and in 2015 it picked Mad Max: Fury Road. While The Post, Manchester and Mad Max all earned Oscar nominations, NBR has a mixed track record in terms of predicting Oscar contenders.
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Hollywood Reporter