National Society of Film Critics 2025 Winners: ‘One Battle After Another’ Rules the Critics’ Roost

The National Society of Film Critics just dropped its 2025 winners, and if you thought the Oscars would be a snooze fest this year, think again. Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling epic, One Battle After Another, has stormed the NSFC awards, taking home Best Picture, Best Director, and both supporting acting nods. Critics clearly aren’t messing around, and neither should you if you haven’t seen it yet.

Every year, the NSFC, a group of over 60 top-tier film critics makes the call on the year’s most noteworthy films. Founded in 1966, the Society has a reputation for sidestepping the obvious crowd-pleasers and shining a light on the cinematic gems that might otherwise get lost in the Oscars hype. And this year, they’ve made it clear: One Battle After Another is the one to beat.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest isn’t just a box-office darling, grossing over $205 million worldwide, it’s also a critical knockout. Alongside Best Picture and Best Director, Teyana Taylor snagged Best Supporting Actress, and Benicio del Toro took Best Supporting Actor. Clearly, Anderson knows how to assemble a cast that critics can’t resist.

Ethan Hawke was recognized for his work in Blue Moon with Best Actor, while Kathleen Chalfant earned Best Actress for Familiar Touch. Jafar Panahi’s sharp screenplay for It Was Just an Accident nabbed Best Screenplay, proving that storytelling still reigns supreme.

Meanwhile, international cinema made its mark. The Secret Agent was awarded Best Film Not in the English Language, and Lucrecia Martel’s Landmarks received a special nod for awaiting U.S. distribution. Nonfiction fans weren’t left out either: My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow claimed Best Nonfiction Film.

Experimental cinema wasn’t ignored either. Basma al-Sharif’s Morning Circle won Best Experimental Film, while the Film Heritage Awards highlighted vital institutions like Cinema Tropical and The Film Desk for keeping global and avant-garde cinema alive in the U.S.

Full List of 2025 NSFC Winners

Category	Winner	Runners-Up
Best Picture	One Battle After Another	Sinners, The Secret Agent
Best Director	Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another	Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident; Richard Linklater, Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague
Best Actor	Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon	Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent; Michael B. Jordan, Sinners
Best Actress	Kathleen Chalfant, Familiar Touch	Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You; Renate Reinsve, Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actor	Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another	Delroy Lindo, Sinners; Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress	Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another	Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value; Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
Best Screenplay	Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident	Robert Kaplow, Blue Moon; Kleber Mendonça Filho, The Secret Agent
Best Film Not in English	The Secret Agent	It Was Just an Accident, Sentimental Value
Best Nonfiction Film	My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow	The Perfect Neighbor, Orwell: 2+2=5
Best Cinematography	Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners	Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams; Michael Bauman, One Battle After Another
Best Experimental Film	Morning Circle, Basma al-Sharif	—
Special Award (Film Awaiting U.S. Distribution)	Landmarks, Lucrecia Martel	—
Film Heritage Awards	Cinema Tropical; The Film Desk; Ken and Flo Jacobs	—

If you’re mapping out your 2026 movie nights, the NSFC winners are your ultimate cheat sheet. One Battle After Another dominates for a reason, but don’t sleep on the runners-up from international gems to indie dramas and experimental provocations, there’s a cinematic buffet waiting. Whether you’re a box-office loyalist or a film festival diehard, 2025’s NSFC awards show that critics are rewarding vision, courage, and performances that linger long after the credits roll.