By Creative Media Times

The National Society of Film Critics has chosen Chloe Zhao’s contemporary western drama “The Rider,” as best picture of 2018, the film critic organization announced on Saturday.

“The Rider” has received near universal acclaim since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2017, where it won Art Cinema Award. The film had since had a successful run at Telluride and at Sundance last January, and received nominations at Independent Spirit Awards including best feature, director, editing and cinematography.

Drawing inspiration from its actors’ real life experiences, the docu-fiction tells the story of a young, Native-American cowboy and professional horse trainer Brady Blackburn (played by a real-life rider Brady Jandreau), his physical and emotional struggles after a near-fatal rodeo competition accident left him with steel plate in his head.

Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuaron’s black-and-white “Roma” was the best picture runner-up, and also won for best cinematography, best foreign-language film and best director for Cuaron.

Roma’s win is considered a big boost for its path to the Academy Awards where the film is considered to be one of top contenders to win the big prize.

[ Film Spotlight: Chloé Zhao’s “The Rider” >> ]

On the acting front, Olivia Colman won best actress in “The Favourite,” while Ethan Hawke as best actor for “First Reformed.”

See below for the full list of winners:

Best Picture: The Rider, dir. Chloé Zhao
Runners-up: Roma (dir. Alfonso Cuarón), Burning (dir. Lee Chang-dong)

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
Runners-up: Lee Chang-dong (Burning), Chloé Zhao (The Rider)

Best Actress: Olivia Colman, The Favourite
Runners-up: Regina Hall (Support the Girls), Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)

Best Actor: Ethan Hawke, First Reformed
Runners-up: Willem Dafoe (At Eternity’s Gate), Ben Foster (Leave No Trace), John C. Reilly (The Sisters Brothers and Stan & Ollie)

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