GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, has announced its picks for the year’s best films, TV and events — and the big winner is Parasite snagging five awards.
One of the best-reviewed films of the year, the South Korean flick was recognized for Film of the Year, Foreign Language Film of the Year, Director of the Year (Bong Joon-ho), Film Performance of the Year – Supporting Actor (Song Kang-ho) and Screenplay of the Year (Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin-won).
“GALECA members strive to determine the best cinematic experiences through the distinct LGBTQ lens, and this year was particularly rich in options,” said GALECA President Diane Anderson-Minshall, Editorial Director of The Advocate.
“Yet when director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite practically swept our awards roster with five wins, I was not surprised. The dynamic, darkly comic drama about a poor family conniving to live the good life speaks to the times we live in, with vivid commentary on class, inequity and even climate change. Parasite is a perfect film for the Trump era.”
Also in the mix: Renée Zellweger honored with Film Performance of the Year – Actress for Judy; Antonio Banderas’s stunning performance snatched up the award for Film Performance of the Year – Actor for Pain and Glory; Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) was honored for career achievement with the Timeless Star Award.
Billy Porter won TV Performance of the Year – Actor for his powerhouse turn as “Pray Tell” in Pose and Phoebe Waller-Bridge scored in TV Performance of the Year – Actress for Fleabag.
Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire was honored as LGBTQ Film of the Year while Cats and Netflix’s The Politician were recognized as the Campy Flick and Campy TV Show of the Year, respectively.
Lady Gaga won in two categories: TV Musical Performance of the Year performing “Shallow” with Bradley Cooper at the 91st Academy Awards and special accolade as Wilde Artist of the Decade.
As a voting member of GALECA, I’m quite proud of not only this year’s winners but the diverse list of nominees.
Formed in 2009, GALECA aims to generate camaraderie and solidarity in an unsettling media environment, champion constructive film and television criticism, and elevate the craft of entertainment journalism.
Complete list of nominees (winners noted by *):
Film of the Year
Hustlers
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in … Hollywood
Pain and Glory
*Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director of the Year
Pedro Almodóvar, Pain and Glory
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
*Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Film Performance of the Year — Actress
Awkwafina, The Farewell
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Lupita Nyong’o, Us
Alfre Woodard, Clemency
*Renée Zellweger, Judy
Film Performance of the Year — Actor
*Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Taron Egerton, Rocketman
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actress
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Florence Pugh, Little Women
*Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Margot Robbie, Bombshell
Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actor
Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
*Song Kang-ho, Parasite
LGBTQ Film of the Year
Booksmart
End of the Century
Pain and Glory
*Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rocketman
Foreign Language Film of the Year
Atlantics
Pain and Glory
*Parasite
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The Farewell
Screenplay of the Year
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
*Bong Joon-ho & Han Jin-won, Parasite
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Documentary of the Year
American Factory
Apollo 11
For Sama
*Honeyland
One Child Nation
LGBTQ Documentary of the Year
Circus of Books
Gay Chorus Deep South
The Gospel of Eureka
5B
*Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street
Visually Striking Film of the Year ** TIE
Midsommar
*1917
The Lighthouse
Parasite
*Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Unsung Film of the Year
*Booksmart
Her Smell
Gloria Bell
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Waves
Campy Flick of the Year
*Cats
Greta
Knives Out
Ma
Serenity
TV Drama of the Year
Chernobyl
Euphoria
*Pose
Succession
Unbelievable
TV Comedy of the Year
*Fleabag
The Other Two
PEN15
Russian Doll
Schitt’s Creek
TV Performance of the Year — Actor
Bill Hader, Barry
Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us
*Billy Porter, Pose
Jeremy Strong, Succession
TV Performance of the Year — Actress
Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
MJ Rodriguez, Pose
*Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
LGBTQ TV Show of the Year
Euphoria
The Other Two
*Pose
Schitt’s Creek
Tales of the City
Unsung TV Show of the Year
Gentleman Jack
On Becoming a God in Central Florida
*The Other Two
PEN15
Years and Years
TV Current Affairs Show of the Year
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
The Rachel Maddow Show
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
*Leaving Neverland
TV Musical Performance of the Year
*Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, “Shallow,” 91st Academy Awards
Lizzo, “Truth Hurts,” VMAs 2019
Megan Mullally, “The Man That Got Away,” Will & Grace
Annie Murphy, “A Little Bit Alexis,” Schitt’s Creek
Michelle Williams, “Who’s Got the Pain?,” Fosse/Verdon
Campy TV Show of the Year
American Horror Story: 1984
Big Little Lies
RuPaul’s Drag Race
*The Politician
Riverdale
The “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award
Roman Griffin Davis
Kaitlyn Dever
Beanie Feldstein
*Florence Pugh
Hunter Schafer
Wilde Wit of the Year
(Honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Dan Levy
Billy Porter
Randy Rainbow
Taika Waititi
*Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Wilde Artist of the Decade (Special Accolade)
*Lady Gaga
Greta Gerwig
Ryan Murphy
Billy Porter
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Timeless Star (Career achievement award)
*Catherine O’Hara
