The National Board of Review has revealed its 2025 award winners, with One Battle After Another named best film and receiving four other honors.
Paul Thomas Anderson was named best director for the thriller, with stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio Del Toro and Chase Infiniti winning best actor, supporting actor and breakthrough performance, respectively.
“Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the shining lights of contemporary cinema,” NBR president Annie Schulhof said in a statement with Tuesday’s awards announcement. “He has crafted a bold, funny, and thrilling movie that is somehow one of the most significant films about the world we live in and also a playful, tender story of a father and daughter connecting through some of the wildest events you can imagine. The NBR is honored to celebrate this absolutely remarkable film.”
The NBR award is just the latest high-profile honor for the Warner Bros. film, which won best feature at Monday’s Gotham Awards and was named the best film of 2025 by the New York Film Critics Circle on Tuesday.
Rose Byrne was named best actress for her role in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, another repeat from the NY film critics, just hours after she also received an Independent Spirit Award nomination.
Best supporting actress went to Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value. Best screenplay honors went to Ryan Coogler for Sinners (original) and Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar for Train Dreams (adapted).
Sinners also won best cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw.
Last year, NBR’s top film was Wicked. Though this year’s follow-up Wicked: For Good didn’t win any NBR awards, it was listed as one of the top films of the year.
This year’s NBR winners — selected by a group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, academics and young professionals – were selected from 265 films.
The 2025 NBR Award winners will be celebrated at a gala event hosted by Willie Geist, at New York’s Cipriani 42nd St on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
A complete list of the 2025 NBR award winners follows.
Best Film: One Battle After Another
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Best Actress: Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actress: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
Best Directorial Debut: Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
Breakthrough Performance: Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, Train Dreams
Best Animated Feature: Arco
Best International Film: It Was Just an Accident
Best Documentary: Cover-Up
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Sinners
Outstanding Achievement in Stunt Artistry: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk
Top Films (in alphabetical order):
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Frankenstein
Jay Kelly
Marty Supreme
Rental Family
Sinners
Train Dreams
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Wicked: For Good
Top 5 International Films (in alphabetical order):
Left-Handed Girl
The Love That Remains
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sirāt
Top 5 Documentaries (in alphabetical order):
2000 Meters to Andriivka
Come See Me in the Good Light
My Mom Jayne
Natchez
Orwell: 2+2=5
Top 10 Independent Films (in alphabetical order):
The Baltimorons
Bring Her Back
Father Mother Sister Brother
Friendship
Good Boy
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
The Mastermind
Rebuilding
Sorry, Baby
Urchin
