The 2025 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) nominations are in, spotlighting the year's standout work before the winners are announced on December 14. This year’s lineup spans a mix of bold debuts, intimate dramas, and high-impact performances, inviting viewers to revisit old favorites and discover new favorites alike. Here’s a fresh, expanded look at the nominees, with a few notes to help beginners navigate the landscape of this year’s contenders.
Best Picture
- Hamnet
- One Battle After Another
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
- Train Dreams
Best Director
- Hamnet — Chloé Zhao
- It Was Just An Accident — Jafar Panahi
- One Battle After Another — Paul Thomas Anderson
- Sentimental Value — Joachim Trier
- Sinners — Ryan Coogler
Best Original Screenplay
- Sinners — Ryan Coogler
- Sentimental Value — Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
- Sorry, Baby — Eva Victor
- It Was Just An Accident — Jafar Panahi
- Weapons — Zach Cregger
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Bugonia
- Hamnet
- No Other Choice
- One Battle After Another
- Train Dreams
Best Actor
- Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another
- Joel Edgerton — Train Dreams
- Ethan Hawke — Blue Moon
- Michael B. Jordan — Sinners
- Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent
Best Actress
- Jessie Buckley — Hamnet
- Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
- Renate Reinsve — Sentimental Value
- Emma Stone — Bugonia
- Eva Victor — Sorry, Baby
Best Supporting Actor
- Benicio Del Toro — One Battle After Another
- Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein
- Paul Mescal — Hamnet
- Sean Penn — One Battle After Another
- Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value
Best Supporting Actress
- Elle Fanning — Sentimental Value
- Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — Sentimental Value
- Amy Madigan — Weapons
- Wunmi Mosaku — Sinners
- Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another
Best Animated Feature
- Arco
- Elio
- KPop Demon Hunters
- Little Amélie Or The Character Of Rain
- Zootopia 2
Best International Feature Film
- It Was Just An Accident
- No Other Choice
- The Secret Agent
- Sentimental Value
- Sirat
Best Documentary Feature
- The Alabama Solution
- Come See Me In The Good Light
- Orwell: 2+2=5
- The Perfect Neighbor
- Riefenstahl
Best Cinematography
- Frankenstein — Dan Laustsen
- Hamnet — Łukasz Żal
- One Battle After Another — Michael Bauman
- Sinners — Autumn Durald Arkapaw
- Train Dreams — Adolpho Veloso
Best Production Design
- Frankenstein — Tamara Deverell
- Hamnet — Fiona Crombie
- Marty Supreme — Jack Fisk
- One Battle After Another — Florencia Martin
- Sinners — Hannah Beachler
Best Film Editing
- A House Of Dynamite — Kirk Baxter
- F1 — Stephen Mirrione
- Marty Supreme — Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie
- One Battle After Another — Andy Jurgensen
- Sinners — Michael P. Shawver
Best Original Score
- Bugonia — Jerskin Fendrix
- Frankenstein — Alexandre Desplat
- One Battle After Another — Jonny Greenwood
- Sinners — Ludwig Göransson
- Train Dreams — Bryce Dessner
Special Citation for Independent Cinema
- Brother Verses Brother
- The Encampments
- Happyend
- Twinless
What do you think of these nominations? Share your thoughts on our X / Twitter feed at Next Best Picture, and check out our awards calendar, precursor winners, and Oscar predictions for more context on this year’s awards season.
