The Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) has crowned RaMell Ross’s Nickel Boys as the best picture of 2024, solidifying its position as a leading contender in this year’s awards season.
The adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s acclaimed novel, Nickel Boys tells the harrowing story of a friendship between two young African American men, Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson), at a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. The film also stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Fred Hechinger, Hamish Linklater, and Daveed Diggs.
Ross, celebrated for his documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening, earned the TFCA’s best director prize for his narrative debut. He also shared the Best Adapted Screenplay award with Joslyn Barnes for their work bringing Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to the screen.
Runners-Up and Additional Wins
While Nickel Boys took the top prize, Sean Baker’s Anora and Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist were recognized as best picture runners-up.
The TFCA also highlighted standout performances. Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths) and Mikey Madison (Anora) shared the best lead performance honor, while Yura Borisov (Anora) and Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) tied for best-supporting performance.
The breakthrough performance prize went to Clarence Maclin for Sing Sing, and Félix-Antoine Duval was named best performance in a Canadian film for his role in Shepherds.
Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light, a Mumbai-set drama, claimed both best original screenplay and best international feature honors. Gints Zilbalodis’s Flow earned Best animated feature, while Mati Diop’s Dahomey took home Best documentary.
The Best First Feature award went to Anna Kendrick for her directorial debut Woman of the Hour. Kendrick’s achievement underscores the growing trend of actors making a successful transition to directing.
A Strong Start to Award Season
With accolades piling up, Nickel Boys continues to gain momentum as a major contender in the awards circuit. Its powerful narrative, compelling performances, and masterful direction by RaMell Ross have resonated deeply with critics and audiences alike, setting the stage for what could be a triumphant Oscars season.
