# List of accolades received by Boys Don't Cry (film)

Boys Don't Cry is a 1999 independent romantic drama film directed by Kimberly Peirce and co-written by Peirce and Andy Bienan. The film is based on the life of Brandon Teena, a trans man who was beaten, raped, and murdered in 1993 after his male acquaintances found out that he was transgender. Hilary Swank stars as Teena and Chloë Sevigny plays his girlfriend Lana Tisdel. Peter Sarsgaard and Brendan Sexton III portray Teena's two murderers. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 1999. Fox Searchlight Pictures gave the film a limited release on October 22, 1999. Boys Don't Cry grossed over $11 million at the box office in North America. The film was critically acclaimed, particularly for Swank's acting, with reviewer Michael Sragow, calling the film a "critical knockout". Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, surveyed 76 reviews and judged 88% of them to be positive.
Boys Don't Cry garnered awards and nominations in a variety of categories with particular praise for Swank's performance as Teena, its screenplay and its direction. At the 72nd Academy Awards, Swank won for Best Actress, while Sevigny was nominated for Best Supporting Actress; Swank won for Best Actress – Drama, while Sevigny was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture awards at the 57th Golden Globe Awards. Swank was also nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 53rd British Academy Film Awards. At the 4th Golden Satellite Awards, both Swank and Sevigny won their respective categories, and the film was nominated for two additional awards—Best Director and Best Film.
Peirce was recognized at several awards ceremonies for her direction of the film as well as her work co-authorship of the screenplay with Andy Bienen. She won the Best New Filmmaker award from the Boston Society of Film Critics, the FIPRESCI and Satyajit Ray Awards at the London Film Festival, the National Board of Review award for Best Directorial Debut, Best Director and Screenwriter at the Young Hollywood Awards, the FIPRESCI and Best Screenplay awards at the Stockholm International Film Festival, and the Audience Choice Award at the St. Louis International Film Festival. In addition, Peirce was further nominated for a European Film Award, the Grand Prix Asturias at the Gijón International Film Festival, the Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay awards at the Independent Spirit Awards.

## Accolades

| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | March 26, 2000 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Academy Awards | March 26, 2000 | Best Supporting Actress | Chloë Sevigny | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | February 25, 2001 | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Hilary Swank | Nominated |
| Boston Society of Film Critics | December 12, 1999 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics | December 12, 1999 | Best Supporting Actress | Chloë Sevigny | Won |
| Boston Society of Film Critics | December 12, 1999 | Best New Filmmaker | Kimberly Peirce | Won |
| Critics' Choice Awards | January 24, 2000 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | March 13, 2000 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Chicago Film Critics Association | March 13, 2000 | Best Supporting Actress | Chloë Sevigny | Won |
| Chicago International Film Festival | October 21, 1999 | Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | January 5, 2000 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Empire Awards | February 19, 2001 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Nominated |
| European Film Awards | December 4, 1999 | Screen International Award | Kimberly Peirce | Nominated |
| Florida Film Critics Circle | January 9, 2000 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| GLAAD Media Awards | April 2, 2000 | Outstanding Film – Limited Release | Boys Don't Cry | Won |
| Gijón International Film Festival | August 9, 2000 | Grand Prix Asturias | Kimberly Peirce | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | January 23, 2000 | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | January 23, 2000 | Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Chloë Sevigny | Nominated |
| Guldbagge Awards | February 7, 2000 | Best Foreign Language Film | Boys Don't Cry | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Awards | March 25, 2000 | Best Female Lead | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | March 25, 2000 | Best Supporting Female | Chloë Sevigny | Won |
| Independent Spirit Awards | March 25, 2000 | Best First Feature | Kimberly Peirce, Jeffrey Sharp, John Hart, Eva Kolodner, and Christine Vachon | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Awards | March 25, 2000 | Best First Screenplay | Kimberly Peirce and Andy Bienen | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Awards | March 25, 2000 | Producers Award | Eva Kolodner | Nominated |
| BFI London Film Festival | March 8, 2000 | FIPRESCI Prize | Kimberly Peirce | Won |
| BFI London Film Festival | March 8, 2000 | Satyajit Ray Award | Kimberly Peirce | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | December 11, 1999 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association | December 11, 1999 | Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress | Chloë Sevigny | Won |
| MTV Movie Awards | June 3, 2000 | Best Breakthrough Performance – Female | Hilary Swank | Nominated |
| MTV Movie Awards | June 3, 2000 | Best Kiss | Hilary Swank & Chloë Sevigny | Nominated |
| National Board of Review | January 18, 2000 | Breakthrough Performance – Female | Hilary Swank | Won |
| National Board of Review | January 18, 2000 | Outstanding Directorial Debut | Kimberly Peirce | Won |
| National Board of Review | January 18, 2000 | Top Ten Films | Boys Don't Cry | Won |
| National Society of Film Critics | January 8, 2000 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | 2nd Place |
| National Society of Film Critics | January 8, 2000 | Best Supporting Actress | Chloë Sevigny | Won |
| New York Film Critics Circle | December 16, 1999 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| New York Film Critics Circle | December 16, 1999 | Best Supporting Actress | Chloë Sevigny | 2nd Place |
| New York Film Critics Circle | December 16, 1999 | Best First Film | Kimberly Peirce | 2nd Place |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 2, 2000 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society | January 2, 2000 | Best Supporting Actress | Chloë Sevigny | Nominated |
| Political Film Society | January 1, 2000 | Exposé | Boys Don't Cry | Won |
| Political Film Society | January 1, 2000 | Human Rights | Boys Don't Cry | Nominated |
| Golden Satellite Awards | January 16, 2000 | Best Film – Drama | Boys Don't Cry | Nominated |
| Golden Satellite Awards | January 16, 2000 | Best Director | Kimberly Peirce | Nominated |
| Golden Satellite Awards | January 16, 2000 | Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Golden Satellite Awards | January 16, 2000 | Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Drama | Chloë Sevigny | Won |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | March 12, 2000 | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role | Hilary Swank | Nominated |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | March 12, 2000 | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role | Chloë Sevigny | Nominated |
| St. Louis International Film Festival | November 16, 1999 | Emerson Audience Award | Boys Don't Cry | Won |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | November 21, 1999 | Audience Award | Boys Don't Cry | Won |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | November 21, 1999 | FIPRESCI Prize | Kimberly Peirce | Won |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | November 21, 1999 | Bronze Horse | Kimberly Peirce | Nominated |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | November 21, 1999 | Best Screenplay | Kimberly Peirce and Andy Bienen | Won |
| Teen Choice Awards | August 6, 2000 | Choice Breakout Performance | Hilary Swank | Nominated |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | December 16, 1999 | Best Actress | Hilary Swank | Won |
| Young Hollywood Awards | June 1, 2000 | Best Director | Kimberly Peirce | Won |
| Young Hollywood Awards | June 1, 2000 | Best Screenwriter | Kimberly Peirce and Andy Bienen | Won |