National Board of Review Names ‘Da 5 Bloods’ Best Film, Spike Lee Best Director

The National Board of Review has named Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” as the year’s best film and ensemble. Lee also won the prize for directing, becoming only the second Black director to receive the honor, following Barry Jenkins for 2016’s “Moonlight.”

Over the last 30 years, the winner of best film has gone on to receive an Oscar nomination for best picture, with exceptions once every decade — 2014’s “A Most Violent Year,” 2000’s “Quills” and 1998’s “Gods and Monsters.” In the 1980s, there were technically two misses with 1987’s “Empire of the Sun” and 1983’s “Betrayal,” which tied with “Terms of Endearment.” NBR’s last best film selections were Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” Peter Farrelly’s “Green Book” and George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Carey Mulligan won NBR’s best actress award for her performance in “Promising Young Woman,” marking her second win from the group following 2009’s “An Education,” for which she was also nominated for an Oscar. The last NBR best actress winner to not garner Academy attention was Amy Adams for 2016’s “Arrival.”

Riz Ahmed and Paul Raci won for their turns in “Sound of Metal” in lead and supporting actor, respectively. The two actors are currently leading in the critics’ awards.

Down below is the full list of winners.

Best Film: “Da 5 Bloods” (Netflix)
Best Director: Spike Lee, “Da 5 Bloods” (Netflix)
Best Actor: Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal” (Amazon Studios)
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman” (Focus Features)
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal” (Amazon Studios)
Best Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-jung, “Minari” (A24)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Greengrass, Luke Davies, “News of the World” (Universal Pictures)
Best Original Screenplay: Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari” (A24)
Breakthrough Performance: Sidney Flanigan, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” (Focus Features)
Best Directorial Debut: Channing Godfrey Peoples, “Miss Juneteenth” (Vertical Entertainment)
Best Animated Feature: “Soul” (Pixar)
Best Foreign Language Film: “La Llorona” (Guatemala)
Best Documentary: “Time” (Amazon Studios)
NBR Icon Award: Chadwick Boseman
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: “One Night in Miami”
NBR Spotlight Award: Radha Blank for writing, directing, producing and starring in “The Forty-Year-Old Version” (Netflix)
Best Ensemble: “Da 5 Bloods” (Netflix)
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Joshua James Richards, “Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures)