The Power Of The Dog takes top honours at London Critics’ Circle film awards

The western starring Benedict Cumberbatch won four gongs.

The Power Of The Dog was the big winner at the London Critics’ Circle film awards (Kirsty Griffin/Netflix)

By Laura Harding, PA Deputy Entertainment Editor

February 06 2022 07:30 PM

The Power of the Dog was the big winner at the virtual London Critics’ Circle film awards as it picked up four gongs.

Jane Campion’s western, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee, was named film of the year, while Campion was named director of the year.

Cumberbatch and Smit-McPhee also took top honours for actor and supporting actor of the year.

Olivia Colman was named actress of the year for her turn in The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s adaptation of the Elena Ferrante novel, while Tilda Swinton was named British/Irish actress of the year for her works in The Souvenir Part II, Memoria and The French Dispatch.

Benedict Cumberbatch was named actor of the year (Ian West/PA)

The Souvenir Part II, Joanna Hogg’s autobiographical story about a young filmmaker starring Swinton’s daughter, Honor Swinton-Byrne, was named British/Irish film of the year — two years after its predecessor took the same honour.

Andrew Garfield won the British/Irish actor of the year award for his performances in Tick, Tick… Boom!, The Eyes of Tammy Faye and Mainstream, while actress Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut, Passing, earned her the title of breakthrough British/Irish filmmaker.

Rebecca Hall won the breakthrough award for her film Passing (Ian West/PA)

One of the film’s stars, Ruth Negga, was named supporting actress of the year, while Woody Norman, 11, was given the young British/Irish performer prize for his turn opposite Joaquin Phoenix in C’mon C’mon.

Drive My Car was named foreign language film of the year, while director Ryusuke Hamaguchi and co-writer Takamasa Oe took the screenwriter of the year prize.

The Roots star Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson won the documentary of the year prize for Summer Of Soul, his immersive film about the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969.