Film 2010: 'Social Network' Tops S.F. Film Critics Circle Awards

The San Francisco Film Critics Circle voted The Social Network as Best Picture last night in its annual members' meeting, echoing the choices of other critics groups, including those of New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Toronto and Washington, D.C., as well as New York Film Critics Online and the National Board of Review. Its Best Director award went to both 'Social Network's' David Fincher and Black Swan's Darren Aronofsky.

An award unique to the San Francisco Film Critics Circle, its Marlon Riggs Award, which celebrates an individual or organization offering courage and vision to the Bay Area film community, went to longtime programmer Elliot Lavine, whose work in programming venues, including the oft-embattled and recently renewed Roxie, has entertained and amazed audiences. Wrote the SFFCC, the award honored Lavine's "two decades of film programming, his revival of rare archival and independent titles and his role in the renewed popularity of film noir and pre-Production Code features."

Another feature with Bay Area roots, The Tillman Story, from Berkeley-raised Amir Bar-Lev, won Best Documentary. The group described the film as "a Bay Area tragedy thrown onto a national stage as Army Ranger Pat Tillman’s family fought for the truth about his combat death."

The King’s Speech star, Colin Firth, won for second time from SFFCC in the Best Actor category (last year's effort was A Single Man). Michelle Williams won Best Actress for her performance in Derek Cianfrance's Blue Valentine. What SFFCC described as "two noir-ish turns" received supporting awards: John Hawkes as Best Supporting Actor in Debra Granik's Winter’s Bone and Jacki Weaver as Best Supporting Actress in David Michôd Animal Kingdom.

Best Original Screenplay went to David Seidler for The King’s Speech, a British period piece detailing the role of speech therapy in launching King George VI’s reign. Best Cinematography honors went to Matthew Libatique for what was described as "his colorfully dynamic photography of Black Swan."

More at these awards at SFFCC.
Comprehensive coverage of awards at indieWIRE.