American film critics organization
The Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) — formerly known, until 2019, as the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society (LAOFCS) — is a film critic organization in Los Angeles, California.
In August 2021, the HCA hosted their first 1st Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards. The HCA also has a film discussion podcast called "Film Critics Weekly" on the online broadcasting network, "Popcorn Talk", to further their goals of creating "a film critics group that would openly discuss film throughout the year, and not just during award season".[1]
History
It was founded in 2016 by Scott Menzel, Scott Mantz, and Ashley Menzel, after noting Los Angeles only had one film critic organization.[2] Its purpose is to be a critics group that is diverse and supports underrepresented voices[2] and they are the first critics group to separate directing honors by gender.[3] "There has been so much conversation about the power of female filmmakers and we wanted to embrace it," said Scott Mantz.[4]
In May 2021, The HCA announced that their inaugural 1st Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards will take place in person on Sunday, August 22, 2021, in Los Angeles, California, Ashley Menzel, stated: “Over these past fourteen months, many of us have been watching more television than ever before. This is why we are absolutely delighted that our first in-person event for 2021 will begin with a brand new event paying tribute to the best of television.”[5]
Organization
The board of directors and officers of the organization as of 2022 are:
- Scott Menzel, Chairman
- Ashley Menzel, COO
- Lauren Huff, President
- Nestor Bentancor, Vice President
- Morgan Rojas, Secretary
- Dan Murrell, Public Information Officer
Fund-raising
To collect funds for Covid-19 recovery initiatives, the Hollywood Critics Association organized a Film & Television Triviathon.[6]
Film Award categories
Each December, the association releases the nominations for the HCA Film Awards, which are hosted in January of the following year. The inaugural film awards ceremony took place on January 10, 2018.[4]
Current Categories
- Best Picture (since 2017)
- Best Actor (since 2017)
- Best Actress (since 2017)
- Best Supporting Actor (since 2017)
- Best Supporting Actress (since 2017)
- Best Animated or VFX Performance (since 2017)
- Best Original Screenplay (since 2017)
- Best Adapted Screenplay (since 2017)
- Best Action Film (since 2017)
- Best Animated Film (since 2017)
- Best Comedy or Musical (since 2017)
- Best Documentary (since 2017)
- Best Indie Film (since 2017)
- Best Foreign Film (since 2017)
- Best First Feature (since 2017)
- Best Score (since 2017)
- Best Cinematography (since 2017)
- Best Editing (since 2017)
- Best Stunts (since 2017)
- Best Visual Effects (since 2017)
- Best Ensemble Cast (since 2018)
- Best Original Song (since 2018)
- Best Horror (since 2019)
- Best Costume Design (since 2019)
- Best Hair & Makeup (since 2019)
- Best Short Film (since 2020)
- Best Production Design (since 2020)
- Best Director (since 2021)
Discontinued Categories
- Best Blockbuster (2017 to 2019)
- Best Female Director (2017 to 2020)
- Best Male Director (2017 to 2020)
- Best Sci-Fi/Horror (2017 to 2018)
Honorary Awards
- Trailblazer Award (since 2017)
- Newcomer Award (since 2018)
- Acting Achievement Award (since 2018)
- Filmmaking Achievement Award (since 2019)
- Artisans Achievement Award (since 2019)
- Game Changer Award (since 2019)
- Star on the Rise (since 2019)
- Filmmaker on the Rise (since 2019)
- Inspire Award (since 2019)
- Spotlight Award (since 2019)
- Timeless Award (since 2020)
End of a Decade Awards
- Filmmaker of the Decade Award (2019 only)
- Actress of the Decade Award (2019 only)
- Actor of the Decade Award (2019 only)
- Producer of the Decade Award (2019 only)
- Next Generation Award (2019 only)
TV Award categories
The Hollywood Critics Association announced that they were launching the HCA TV Awards on March 24, 2021.[7] The inaugural TV awards ceremony took place on August 22, 2021.[8] The following is a list of the current and discontinued categories of the television awards as of 2022.[9]
Current Categories
- Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Broadcast Network Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Broadcast Network Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Broadcast Network or Cable Docuseries, Documentary Television Movie, or Non-Fiction Series (since 2021)
- Best Broadcast Network or Cable Sketch Series, Variety Series, Talk Show or Comedy/Variety Special (since 2021)
- Best Cable Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Cable Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Streaming Docuseries, Documentary Television Movie, or Non-Fiction Series (since 2021)
- Best Streaming Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Streaming Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Comedy (since 2021)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama (since 2021)
- Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Actor in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Broadcast Network or Cable Animated Series or Television Movie (since 2022)
- Best Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Broadcast Network or Cable Live-Action Television Movie (since 2022)
- Best Broadcast Network or Cable Reality Show or Competition Series (since 2022)
- Best Comedy or Standup Special (since 2022)
- Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy (since 2022)
- Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama (since 2022)
- Best Directing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Comedy (since 2022)
- Best Directing in a Streaming Series, Drama (since 2022)
- Best Directing in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Game Show (since 2022)
- Best International Series (since 2022)
- Best Short Form Animation Series (since 2022)
- Best Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (since 2022)
- Best Short Form Documentary or Non-Fiction Series (since 2022)
- Best Streaming Animated Series or Television Movie (since 2022)
- Best Streaming Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Streaming Movie (since 2022)
- Best Streaming Reality Show or Competition Series (since 2022)
- Best Streaming Variety Sketch Series, Talk Series, or Special (since 2022)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cables Series, Comedy (since 2022)
- Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama (since 2022)
- Best Writing in a Broadcast Network or Cable Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
- Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Comedy (since 2022)
- Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Drama (since 2022)
- Best Writing in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series (since 2022)
Discontinued Categories
- Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie (2021 only)
- Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Movie (2021 only)
- Best Animated Series or Animated Television Movie (2021 only)
- Best Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series or Live-Action Television Movie (2021 only)
- Best Broadcast Network Reality Series, Competition Series, or Game Show (2021 only)
- Best Cable or Streaming Reality Series, Competition Series, or Game Show (2021 only)
- Best Streaming Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Live-Action Television Movie (2021 only)
- Best Streaming Sketch Series, Variety Series, Talk Show, or Comedy/Variety Special (2021 only)
- Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie (2021 only)
- Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie (2021 only)
Honorary Awards
- Legacy Award (since 2021)
- Virtuoso Award (since 2021)
- Impact Award (since 2021)
- TV Icon Award (since 2021)
- Pop Culture Icon Award (since 2021)
- TV Breakout Star Award (since 2021)
- Spotlight Award (since 2021)