Photo Coverage: 2009 New York Film Critic's Circle Awards Arrivals

The New York Film Critics Circle, is an organization of film reviewers from New York-based publications that exists to honor excellence in U.S. and world cinema.

The complete list of winners is as follows:

Best Picture
The Hurt Locker

Best Director
Katheryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker

Best Screenplay
In The Loop

Best Actress
Meryl Streep - Julie and Julia

Best Actor
George Clooney - Up In The Air / Fantastic Mr. Fox

Best Supporting Actress
Mo'Nique - Precious

Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz - Inglorious Basterds

Best Cinematographer
Christian Berger - The White Ribbon

Best Animated Film
Fantastic Mr. Fox

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary)
Of Time and The City

Best Foreign Film
Summer Hours

Best First Film
Hunger - Steve McQueen

Special Award
Andrew Sarris

Founded in 1935, the Circle's membership includes critics from daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, magazines, and qualifying on-line general-interest publications. Every year in December the organization meets in New York to vote on awards for the previous calendar year's films.

Among The categories: best picture, director, screenplay, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, cinematography, animated movie and best first film. Special stand-alone awards are also given to individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to the art of cinema, including producers, directors, actors, writers, critics, historians, film restorers and service organizations.

The Circle's awards are often viewed as harbingers of the Oscar nominations, which are announced each February. The Circle's awards are also viewed -- perhaps more accurately -- as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring esthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures. A complete list of previous winners is available on this site, along with a list of current members with links to their publications.

Photo Credit: RD/Leon/Retna Ltd.