National Board of Review honors The Hours, Talk to Her, and The Laramie Project

The National Board of Review--traditionally, the first organization to present awards to the year's films--announced its 2002 winners on Wednesday, with The Hours, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by out writer Michael Cunningham, selected as Best Film. Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her was named Best Foreign Film, and Moises Kaufman's The Laramie Project, about the aftermath of the murder of Matthew Shepard, was honored as Best Film Made for Cable TV. Julianne Moore was selected Best Actress for her role as a suburban housewife facing her husband's homosexuality in Todd Haynes's Far From Heaven, and openly gay filmmaker Rob Marshall was cited for Best Directorial Debut for Chicago. Awards will be presented at a gala dinner on January 14. Here is the complete list of NBR honorees: Top 10 Films of 2002: The Hours (Best Film), Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Quiet American, Adaptation, Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Pianist, Far From Heaven, 13 Conversations About One Thing, Frida Top Five Foreign Films of 2002: Talk to Her (Best Foreign Film), Y Tu Mama Tambien, 8 Women, City of God, El Crimen del Padre Amaro Best Actor: Campbell Scott, Roger Dodger Best Actress: Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven Best Supporting Actor: Chris Cooper, Adaptation Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, About Schmidt Best Acting by an Ensemble: Nicholas Nickleby Breakthrough Performance, Actor: Derek Luke, Antwone Fisher Breakthrough Performance, Actress: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Secretary Best Director: Phillip Noyce, The Quiet American and Rabbit-Proof Fence Best Directorial Debut: Rob Marshall, Chicago Screenwriter of the Year: Charlie Kaufman, Adaptation, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Human Nature Best Documentary: Bowling for Columbine Best Animated Feature: Spirited Away Best Film Made for Cable TV: The Laramie Project Special Award for Visionary Cinematic Achievement: George Lucas Career Achievement: Christopher Plummer Special Filmmaking Achievement: George Clooney, director, producer, and star of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Career Achievement--Film Music Composition: Elmer Bernstein Career Achievement--Cinematography: Conrad Hall Humanitarian Award: Sheila Nevins William K. Everson Award for Film History: Annette Insdorf for her book Indelible Shadows: Film and the Holocaust Special Recognition of Films that Reflect the Freedom of Expression: Ararat, Bloody Sunday, The Grey Zone, and Rabbit-Proof Fence Special Mention for Excellence in Filmmaking: Frailty, The Good Girl, The Guys, Heaven, Igby Goes Down, Max, Personal Velocity, Real Women Have Curves, Roger Dodger, Sunshine State, Tadpole, and Tully