# San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2020

The 25th San Diego Film Critics Society Awards were announced on January 11, 2021. The nominations were announced on January 8, 2021, with Sound of Metal leading the nominations with eight.

## Winners and nominees

Winners are listed at the top of each list in bold, while the runner-ups and nominees for each category are listed under them.
| Best Picture | Best Director |
| Promising Young Woman Runner-Up: Sound of Metal Black Bear First Cow Nomadland One Night in Miami... | Chloé Zhao – Nomadland Runner-Up: Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 Darius Marder – Sound of Metal Kelly Reichardt – First Cow Florian Zeller – The Father |
| Best Actor | Best Actress |
| Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal Runner-Up: Anthony Hopkins – The Father Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Brian Dennehy – Driveways Steven Yeun – Minari | Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman Runner-Up: Frances McDormand – Nomadland Viola Davis – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman Aubrey Plaza – Black Bear |
| Best Supporting Actor | Best Supporting Actress |
| Paul Raci – Sound of Metal Runner-Up: Peter Macdissi – Uncle Frank Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7 Frank Langella – The Trial of the Chicago 7 Bill Murray – On the Rocks | Youn Yuh-jung – Minari Runner-Up: Amanda Seyfried – Mank Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Ellen Burstyn – Pieces of a Woman Olivia Cooke – Sound of Metal |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Best Original Screenplay |
| Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller – The Father Runner-Up: Charlie Kaufman – I'm Thinking of Ending Things Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond – First Cow Ruben Santiago-Hudson – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Chloé Zhao – Nomadland | Lee Isaac Chung – Minari Runner-Up: Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman Runner-Up: Darius Marder, Abraham Marder, and Derek Cianfrance – Sound of Metal Runner-Up: Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 Sofia Coppola – On the Rocks |
| Best Breakthrough Artist | Best Comedic Performance |
| Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version Runner-Up: Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Always Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman | Radha Blank – The Forty-Year-Old Version Runner-Up: Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Runner-Up: Bill Murray – On the Rocks Sacha Baron Cohen – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm Andy Samberg – Palm Springs |
| Best Animated Film | Best Documentary |
| Wolfwalkers Runner-Up: Over the Moon Onward Soul Trolls World Tour | Time Runner-Up: The Social Dilemma Athlete A My Octopus Teacher Rewind |
| Best International Film | Best Ensemble |
| The Life Ahead Runner-Up: The Platform Another Round Martin Eden Sputnik | One Night in Miami... Runner-Up: The Trial of the Chicago 7 Da 5 Bloods Palm Springs Uncle Frank |
| Best Cinematography | Best Editing |
| Joshua James Richards – Nomadland Runner-Up: Erik Messerschmidt – Mank Christopher Blauvelt – First Cow Hoyte van Hoytema – Tenet Dariusz Wolski – News of the World | Andy Canny – The Invisible Man Runner-Up: Alan Baumgarten – The Trial of the Chicago 7 Andrew Dickler and Matthew Friedman – Palm Springs Jennifer Lame – Tenet Matthew L. Weiss – Black Bear |
| Best Costumes | Best Production Design |
| Alexandra Byrne – Emma Runner-Up: Erin Benach – Birds of Prey April Napier – First Cow Ann Roth – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Trish Summerville – Mank | Donald Graham Burt – Mank Runner-Up: Molly Hughes – I'm Thinking of Ending Things Runner-Up: Shane Valentino – The Trial of the Chicago 7 Nathan Crowley – Tenet Kave Quinn – Emma |
| Best Use of Music | Best Visual Effects |
| Hamilton Runner-Up: David Byrne's American Utopia Runner-Up: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Da 5 Bloods Sound of Metal | Tenet Runner-Up: The Invisible Man Birds of Prey Greyhound The Midnight Sky Sputnik |
| Best Body of Work ||
| Steve McQueen – The Small Axe film series (Mangrove, Lover's Rock, Red, White and Blue, Alex Wheatle, Education) ||