WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) this morning announced their 2011 awardees. Aside from three films that shared two awards apiece, all others were solo winners.

The winner of Best Film went to the black-and-white, silent film homage "The Artist." Splitting Best Film and Best Director, Martin Scorsese won top directing honors for "Hugo," another movie that celebrates cinema.



WAFCA president Tim Gordon said, "In honoring both 'The Artist' and 'Hugo,' WAFCA is spotlighting two films that are love letters to the film industry that we all love so well."

Best Actor and Best Actress went to George Clooney (for his role as a grieving husband in "The Descendants") and Michelle Williams (for channeling icon Marilyn Monroe in "My Week with Marilyn"), respectively. Albert Brooks won Best Supporting Actor as a cutthroat mobster in "Drive," and Octavia Spencer won Best Supporting Actress as an outspoken maid in "The Help." The Best Acting Ensemble award went to the cast of the ribald comedy, "Bridesmaids."

"The Descendants" also won Best Adapted Screenplay, while "50/50," about a young man's challenge to overcome cancer, secured Best Original Screenplay.

Best Animated Feature went to Industrial Light and Magic's first animated film, "Rango"; Best Documentary went to Werner Herzog's "Cave of Forgotten Dreams"; and Pedro Almodovar's "The Skin I Live In" took home Best Foreign Language Film.

Best Art Direction went to Production Designer icon Dante Ferretti and Set Decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo for "Hugo." Emmanuel Lubezki won Best Cinematography for Terrence Malick's contemplative "The Tree of Life." Ludovic Bource won Best Score for his omnipresent work in "The Artist."

"This is WAFCA's 10th anniversary, and we are very proud of the choices that our membership made," said Gordon. "There were no sweeps this year. No ties. Our list highlights both the exceptional films nominated and the distinct make-up of our group."

The Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association is comprised of 43 DC-VA-MD-based film critics from television, radio, print and the Internet. Voting was conducted from December 2-4, 2011.

WASHINGTON D.C. CRITICS 2011 WINNERS

Best Film
"The Artist"

Best Director
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Best Actor
George Clooney, "The Descendants"

Best Actress
Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"

Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks, "Drive"

Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Best Acting Ensemble
"Bridesmaids"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, "The Descendants"

Best Original Screenplay
Will Reiser, "50/50"

Best Animated Feature
"Rango"

Best Documentary
"Cave of Forgotten Dreams"

Best Foreign Language Film
"The Skin I Live In"

Best Art Direction
Dante Ferretti, Production Designer, and Francesca Lo Schiavo, Set Decorator, "Hugo"

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, "The Tree of Life"

Best Score
Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"