Professional Motion Picture Production and Distribution NEWS

George Clooney and Carey Mulligan Named Best Actors. Christoph Waltz and Mo'Nique Honored as Best Supporting Actors. Kathryn Bigelow is WAFCA's First Female Best Director Winner.

(Washington, DC) The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) announced their 2009 winners, awarding Best Film to "Up in the Air". The film's star, George Clooney, took home the Best Actor award, his second win (Michael Clayton, 2007). In a WAFCA first, Kathryn Bigelow took home the prize for Best Director for the Iraq War film, The Hurt Locker, the first woman to do so.

Relative newcomer Carey Mulligan took home the Best Actress award for "An Education," while what many considered the only locks of the season - the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories - went to Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) and Mo'Nique (Precious), respectively. Precious also walked away with the Best Breakthrough Performance for first-time actress Gabourey Sidibe.

"We are thrilled with these results," said Tim Gordon, president of WAFCA. "As with every year, there were consensus favorites as well as surprises that both stunned and delighted us. In a year full of as many great films as this one, things are always...up in the air!"

In other categories, Sheldon Turner and two-time winner Jason Reitman (2006's Thank You for Smoking) won Best Adapted Screenplay for Up in the Air. Reitman also won the same award in 2006 for Thank You For Smoking. Quentin Tarantino won Best Original Screenplay for his heavily lauded Inglourious Basterds. Up snagged the Best Animated Film award, the fourth WAFCA win for the Disney/Pixar juggernaut. Best foreign film went to the immigration drama Sin Nombre, and Best Documentary went to Food, Inc.

The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association is comprised of 48 DC-VA-MD-based film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet. Voting was conducted from December 4 - 5, 2009.

Best Film: Up in the Air | Paramount

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)

Best Actor: George Clooney (Up in the Air)

Best Actress: Carey Mulligan (An Education)

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique (Precious)

Best Ensemble: The Hurt Locker | Summit Entertainment

Best Breakthrough Performance: Gabourey Sidibe (Precious)

Best Screenplay, Adapted: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air)

Best Screenplay, Original: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)

Best Animated Film: Up | Walt Disney & Pixar

Best Foreign Film: Sin Nombre | Focus Features

Best Documentary: Food, Inc. | Magnolia

Best Art Direction: Nine | The Weinstein Company





Resources:

The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association: www.wafca.com