The following films received the most votes during the first round of NCFCA Awards voting by NCFCA members. In some categories there were clear front-runners, and in others the spread of votes was more even. There is no set amount of nominations per category. Rather, the final selection was agreed upon by the Executive Committee after considering the spread of votes in each individual category. The full list of potential nominees will be released shortly.

The winners in each category will be announced on Jan. 15.

NOTE: ZERO DARK THIRTY had not yet screened for all critics in North Carolina by the deadline for nomination voting. The Executive Committee chose to include it in certain categories based on the amount of acclaim it had already earned in select cities and from other national critics’ organizations so that it could be eligible for NCFCA Awards. It screened for critics in North Carolina in time for the final vote.

BEST NARRATIVE FILM

LINCOLN
THE MASTER
MOONRISE KINGDOM
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
ZERO DARK THIRTY

BEST DOCUMENTARY FILM

THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
THE IMPOSTER
JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI
THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES
ROOM 237
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
UNDER AFRICAN SKIES

BEST ANIMATED FILM

BRAVE
FRANKENWEENIE
PARANORMAN
THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS
WRECK-IT RALPH

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

AMOUR
HOLY MOTORS
THE INTOUCHABLES
THE KID WITH A BIKE
OSLO, AUGUST 31st
THE RAID: REDEMPTION
RUST AND BONE

BEST DIRECTOR

PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON (THE MASTER)
WES ANDERSON (MOONRISE KINGDOM)
KATHRYN BIGELOW (ZERO DARK THIRTY)
RIAN JOHNSON (LOOPER)
ANG LEE (LIFE OF PI)
DAVID O. RUSSELL (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)

BEST ACTOR

BRADLEY COOPER (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS (LINCOLN)
JOHN HAWKES (THE SESSIONS)
JOAQUIN PHOENIX (THE MASTER)
DENZEL WASHINGTON (FLIGHT)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

JAVIER BARDEM (SKYFALL)
JASON CLARKE (ZERO DARK THIRTY)
PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (THE MASTER)
SAMUEL L. JACKSON (DJANGO UNCHAINED)
CHRISTOPH WALTZ (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

BEST ACTRESS

JESSICA CHASTAIN (ZERO DARK THIRTY)
JENNIFER LAWRENCE (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)
HELEN MIRREN (HITCHCOCK)
QUVENZHANE WALLIS (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)
MARY ELIZABETH WINSTEAD (SMASHED)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

AMY ADAMS (THE MASTER)
SALLY FIELD (LINCOLN)
GINA GERSHON (KILLER JOE)
ANNE HATHAWAY (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES)
ANNE HATHAWAY (LES MISERABLES)
EMMA WATSON (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON (THE MASTER)
WES ANDERSON and ROMAN COPPOLA (MOONRISE KINGDOM)
MARK BOAL (ZERO DARK THIRTY)
DREW GODDARD and JOSS WHEDON (THE CABIN IN THE WOODS)
RIAN JOHNSON (LOOPER)
QUENTIN TARANTINO (DJANGO UNCHAINED)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

LUCY ALIBAR and BENH ZEITLIN (BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD)
STEPHEN CHBOSKY (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER)
TONY KUSHNER (LINCOLN)
DAVID MAGEE (LIFE OF PI)
DAVID O. RUSSELL (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK)
CHRIS TERRIO (ARGO)

TAR HEEL AWARD

THE CAMPAIGN
THE HUNGER GAMES
JIMMY
LOVE FREE OR DIE
THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN
ZERO DARK THIRTY