‘One Battle After Another’ Wins Best Picture at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
Los Angeles, CA — Paul Thomas Anderson’s sweeping drama One Battle After Another dominated the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards, earning Best Picture and Best Director, while standout performances from Ethan Hawke, Rose Byrne, and Teyana Taylor highlighted a night celebrating bold, genre-defying cinema.
The annual ceremony, which honors artistic excellence and innovation in film, saw Anderson’s historical epic emerge as the clear favorite among critics. The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Chase Infiniti, and Sean Penn, continues to build momentum this awards season following its success at the Gotham Awards and National Board of Review.
Paul Thomas Anderson Takes Top Honors
Anderson, who previously won critical acclaim for There Will Be Blood and Licorice Pizza, claimed the Best Director award for One Battle After Another. Ryan Coogler was named runner-up for his socially charged thriller Sinners.
The film also earned Teyana Taylor the Best Supporting Performance award for her role, sharing the honor with Stellan Skarsgård for Sentimental Value.
Lead Performances Shine
In the gender-neutral Best Lead Performance category, Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) and Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You) tied for the win, with Timothée Chalamet (Marty Supreme) and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent) earning runner-up spots.
The critics praised Hawke and Byrne for “emotional range and deeply human performances,” continuing LAFCA’s tradition of spotlighting work that transcends mainstream awards narratives.
Global Cinema and Visual Excellence
International cinema also made a strong showing, with The Secret Agent winning Best Film Not in the English Language and taking the runner-up position for Best Picture. Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi added to his growing list of accolades, winning Best Screenplay for It Was Just an Accident.
The award for Best Cinematography went to Adolpho Veloso for Train Dreams, while Hannah Beachler took home Best Production Design for Sinners. Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie were recognized for Best Editing for Marty Supreme.
Animation, Documentary, and Experimental Film
In animation, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain won Best Animated Film, with KPop Demon Hunters as runner-up. The Best Documentary/Nonfiction Film honor went to My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow, while The Perfect Neighbor was runner-up.
For experimental work, Albert Serra’s Afternoons of Solitude received the Douglas Edwards Experimental Film Prize, with Thom Andersen receiving a special citation.
Career Achievement and Special Recognition
LAFCA also announced a Career Achievement Award for veteran filmmaker Philip Kaufman, whose body of work includes The Right Stuff and The Unbearable Lightness of Being. The association praised Kaufman as “a director who defied Hollywood conventions and embraced daring storytelling.”
Additionally, a Special Citation was awarded to Judy Kim of Gardena Cinema, recognized for maintaining an independent, family-run movie theater that has served the Los Angeles community since 1976.
Awards Season Momentum
The LAFCA Awards are widely viewed as a bellwether for the Oscars, with recent winners such as Anora and Everything Everywhere All at Once going on to claim major Academy recognition.
One Battle After Another now enters the heart of awards season as a leading contender for multiple categories, solidifying its place among 2025’s most acclaimed films.
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