SFAC selection for best fimmaking achievements in 2003

THE SOUTHEASTERN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES PICKS FOR BEST
FILMMAKING ACHIEVEMENTS OF 2003
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" wins best film, director

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" has been named best film
and its helmer, Peter Jackson, best director in the 2003 awards of the
Southeastern Film Critics Association.
"City of God" from Brazil was chosen as best foreign-language film in the
12th annual awards held by SEFCA. President Betsy Pickle of the Knoxville
News Sentinel in Tennessee announced the winners late Sunday night.
Best-actor honors went to Bill Murray for "Lost in Translation," which
also won best original screenplay for director Sofia Coppola. Naomi Watts
was named best actress for "21 Grams."
Tim Robbins was voted best supporting actor for "Mystic River," which
earned best adapted screenplay for Brian Helgeland, working from Dennis
Lehane's novel.
The Southeastern critics selected Renee Zellweger as best supporting
actress for "Cold Mountain," which opens Christmas Day. Andrew Jarecki's
"Capturing the Friedmans" was named best documentary.
The SEFCA Top 10 list is: 1) "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the
King," 2) "Mystic River," 3) "Lost in Translation," 4) "Cold Mountain," 5)
"American Splendor," 6) "The Station Agent," 7) "Finding Nemo," 8)
"Seabiscuit," 9) "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" and 10)
"In America."
The Southeastern Film Critics Association was formed in 1992 and is
composed of critics from nine states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
Forty-three members voted in this year's awards.
The following members voted: John Beifuss, The Commercial Appeal
(Memphis); Jay Boyar, The Orlando Sentinel; Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
(Charlotte); Mark Burger, The Winston-Salem Journal; Harvey Burgess,
Charlotte Bureau News Wire Service; Bob Carlton, The Birmingham News; Paul
Chambers, CNN Radio/Interactive; Michael Clark, The Gwinnett Daily Post;
Jackie K. Cooper, syndicated; Hap Erstein, The Palm Beach Post; Jeff
Farance, The Daytona Beach News-Journal; Felicia Feaster, Creative Loafing
(Atlanta); Rick Grant, Entertaining U (Jacksonville); Ken Hanke, The
Mountain Xpress (Asheville); Rick Harmon, The Montgomery Advertiser; Curt
Holman, Creative Loafing (Atlanta); Julie Phillips Jordan, The Athens
Banner Herald-Daily News; Tony Kiss, The Asheville Citizen-Times; Michael
Kleinschrodt, The Times-Picayune; Barbara Lester, City Link; Todd Lothery,
The News & Observer; Bret Love, INsite Magazine; Philip Martin, The
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; George Meyer, The Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Noel
Murray, The Onion/Nashville Scene; Dan Neman, The Richmond Times-Dispatch;
Bert Osborne, syndicated; Bob Parker, CNN Newssource; Steve Persall, The
St. Petersburg Times; Betsy Pickle, the Knoxville News Sentinel; Jim
Ridley, Nashville Scene; Rene Rodriguez, The Miami Herald; Bob Ross, The
Tampa Tribune; Skip Sheffield, The Boca Raton News; Matt Soergel, The
Florida Times-Union; Steve Taylor, WHQR/WDAV/WKNO Public Radio; Bill
Thompson, The Post and Courier; Larry Toppman, The Charlotte Observer; Mal
Vincent, The Virginian-Pilot; Steve Warren, The Weekly News/Southern
Voice; Stan Washington, The Atlanta Voice; John Wirt, The Advocate (Baton
Rouge); Mercy Sandberg-Wright, syndicated.


SEFCA TOP 10
1. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
2. "Mystic River"
3. "Lost in Translation"
4. "Cold Mountain"
5. "American Splendor"
6. "The Station Agent"
7. "Finding Nemo"
8. "Seabiscuit"
9. "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"
10. "In America"

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
(winner) "City of God" (Brazil)
(runner-up) "The Barbarian Invasions" (Canada/France)

BEST DIRECTOR
(winner) Peter Jackson, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
(runner-up) Sofia Coppola, "Lost in Translation"

BEST ACTOR
(winner) Bill Murray, "Lost in Translation"
(runner-up) Sean Penn, "Mystic River"

BEST ACTRESS
(winner) Naomi Watts, "21 Grams"
(runner-up) Diane Keaton, "Something's Gotta Give"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
(winner) Tim Robbins, "Mystic River"
(runner-up) Peter Sarsgaard, "Shattered Glass"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
(winner) Renee Zellweger, "Cold Mountain"
(runner-up) Holly Hunter, "Thirteen"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
(winner) "Lost in Translation," Sofia Coppola
(runner-up) "In America," Jim Sheridan, Naomi Sheridan and Kirsten
Sheridan

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
(winner) "Mystic River," Brian Helgeland, from the novel by Dennis Lehane
(runner-up) "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," Fran Walsh,
Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson, from the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

BEST DOCUMENTARY
(winner) "Capturing the Friedmans"
(runner-up) "Winged Migration"