Southeastern Film Critics Association Picks THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL as Best Film of 2014; SELMA Misses the Top 10 List

As a member of the Southeastern Film Critics
Association, I feel compelled to report on how our
group voted every year even though I admit we’re
not the biggest group or among the most
influential. In past years, the word “disappointed”
has come up in my articles, but this year I’m
excited for our top choice because it can change
the awards conversation. While many groups are
voting for Boyhood or Birdman for Best Film,
SEFCA went with Wes Anderson‘s The Grand
Budapest Hotel, and also awarded the movie Best
Original Screenplay, Best Ensemble, and runner-
up for Best Cinematography. Although Budapest
Hotel isn’t my favorite movie of the year, I liked it
more than Boyhood and Birdman , and have no
problem with it being the association’s choice for
Best Film.
The Top 10 list was also fairly well-rounded with
SEFCA choosing challenging films like
Snowpiercer and Nightcrawler alongside crowd-
pleasers like The Imitation Game and The Theory
of Everything . However, one film that didn’t
make the Top 10 was Selma, which is a glaring
omission when you consider the film’s setting
and the geography of our group. Hit the jump for
my explanation on why the film may have missed
the cut, and for the full list of winners.

2014 SEFCA RESULTS
Top Ten
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Boyhood
3. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of
Ignorance)
4. Whiplash
5. The Imitation Game
6. Gone Girl
7. Snowpiercer
8. Nightcrawler
9. Foxcatcher
10. The Theory of Everything
Best Actor
1. Michael Keaton, Birdman or (the Unexpected
Virtue of Ignorance)
2. Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best Actress
1. Julianne Moore, Still Alice
2. Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Best Supporting Actor
1. J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
2. Edward Norton, Birdman or (the Unexpected
Virtue of Ignorance)
Best Supporting Actress
1. Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
2. Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer
Best Ensemble
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of
Ignorance)
Best Director
1. Richard Linklater, Boyhood
2. Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Original Screenplay
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel : Wes Anderson and
Hugo Guinness
2. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of
Ignorance) : Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolas
Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo
Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Gone Girl : Gillian Flynn
2. Wild : Nick Hornby
Best Documentary
1. Life Itself
2. CitizenFour
Best Foreign Language Film
1. Force Majeure
2. Ida
Best Animated Film
1. The Lego Movie
2. Big Hero 6
Best Cinematography
1. Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of
Ignorance) : Emmanuel Lubezki
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel : Robert Yeoman
The Gene Wyatt Award for the Film that Best
Evokes the Spirit of the South
1. Selma
2. Cold in July