Netflix’s queer western The Power of the Dog lassoed three major prizes, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay, the latter two Dorians going to auteur Jane Campion.
Flee—the documentary utilizing graphic novel-style visuals to tell the harrowing story of a gay Afghan refugee—scored the most wins, with four. The Neon/Participant film, produced in part by actors Riz Ahmed and Nikolaj Coster- Waldau, won Best LGBTQ Film, two documentary awards and GALECA’s first-ever Best Animated Film honor.
Passing—director Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of the Nella Larsen novel about two female friends confronting racial and sexual identity issues in 1920s Harlem—was named Best Unsung Film. The poignant Japanese relationship drama Drive My Car drove off with Best Non-English Language Film.
In individual categories, GALECA chose queer actress Kristen Stewart for Best Film Performance over nine other contenders for her moody turn as Princess Diana in Spencer. West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose, another queer actress, grabbed both Best Supporting Performance and Rising Star honors.
Despite some bold and lively competition, Parallel Mothers director Pedro Almodovar scored GALECA’s special Wilde Artist accolade—meant for “a truly groundbreaking force in film, theatre and/or television”—over Campion, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Lil Nas X and Jennifer Coolidge. Rita Moreno, the ever-vibrant film, stage, music and TV great—and West Side Story icon times two—became the group’s first Latinx Timeless Star winner. Past winners of GALECA’s career achievement award include Jane Fonda, Sir Ian McKellen, John Waters, George Takei, Dame Angela Lansbury, Meryl Streep, Harvey Fierstein, Betty White and Meryl Streep.
First presented in 2010, GALECA’s Dorian Awards go to the best in film and TV, mainstream to queer+, at separate times of the year. GALECA consists of more than 350 critics, journalists and broadcasters who work for some of the most prominent and influential media outlets in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Follow GALECA @DorianAwards on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Find more information at GALECA.org.
The full list of winners is below:
—Best Film: The Power of the Dog
—Best LGBTQ Film: Flee
—Best Non-English Language Film: Drive My Car
—Best Unsung Film: Passing
—Best Director: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
—Best Screenplay: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
—Best Film Performance: Kristen Stewart, Spencer
—Best Supporting Film Performance: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
—Best Documentary: Flee
—Best LGBTQ Documentary: Flee
—Most Visually Striking Film: Dune
—Best Animated Film: Flee
—Best Film Music: Tick, Tick… Boom!
—”We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star: Ariana DeBose
—Wilde Artist: Pedro Almodovar
—Campiest Flick: House of Gucci
—Timeless Star: Rita Moreno
—GALECA LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer: Pedro Almodovar