'Moonlight' wins the Phoenix Critics Circle's Best Picture award

On Dec. 16, The Phoenix Critics Circle, along with their friends and spouses, enjoyed a festive evening and announced its winners for the best films, performances and technical categories of 2016.

The affecting drama "Moonlight" took three awards, including the top prize for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali) and tied for Best Director (Barry Jenkins) along with Damian Chazelle for "La La Land". "La La Land" also grabbed Best Score.

Casey Affleck and Natalie Portman won the lead acting awards for their work in "Manchester by the Sea" and "Jackie", respectively.

The complete list of winners and nominations is listed below:

Best Picture Winner: “Moonlight”

Other Nominees:

"Arrival"

"Hell or High Water"

"La La Land"

"Manchester by the Sea"

Best Comedy Film Winner: “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” Other Nominees: “Deadpool"

"The Edge of Seventeen"

"Hail, Caesar!"

"The Nice Guys"

Best Science Fiction Film Winner: “Arrival” Other Nominees: “10 Cloverfield Lane” “Midnight Special”

Best Horror Film Winner: “The Witch” Other Nominees: “The Conjuring 2” “Don't Breathe”

Best Mystery or Thriller Winner: "Hell or High Water"

"Green Room"

"Nocturnal Animals"

Best Animated Film Winner: “Kubo and the Two Strings” Other Nominees: “Moana” “Zooptopia”

Best Foreign Language Film Winner: “The Handmaiden” Other Nominees:

"Neruda" “Things to Come” “The Wailing”

Best Documentary Winner: “O.J.: Made in America" Other Nominees: “13TH"

"Gleason"

"Tickled"

"Weiner"

Best Actor Winner: Casey Affleck, "Manchester by the Sea" Other Nominees:

Andrew Garfield, "Hacksaw Ridge"

Ryan Gosling, "La La Land"

Viggo Mortensen, "Captain Fantastic"

Best Actress Winner: Natalie Portman, "Jackie" Other Nominees:

Amy Adams, "Arrival"

Annette Bening, "20th Century Women"

Jessica Chastain, "Miss Sloane"

Emma Stone, "La La Land"

Best Supporting Actor Winner: Mahershala Ali, "Moonlight" Other Nominees:

Jeff Bridges, "Hell or High Water"

Ben Foster, "Hell or High Water"

John Goodman, "10 Cloverfield Lane"

Michael Shannon, "Nocturnal Animals"

Best Supporting Actress Winner: Viola Davis, "Fences" Other Nominees:

Greta Gerwig, "20th Century Women"

Naomie Harris, "Moonlight"

Helen Mirren, "Eye in the Sky"

Michelle Williams, "Manchester by the Sea"

Best Director Winner (Tie): Damian Chazelle, "La La Land" and Barry Jenkins, "Moonlight" Other Nominees:

Kenneth Lonergan, "Manchester By The Sea"

Denis Villeneuve, "Arrival"

Best Screenplay Winner: Efthimis Filippou and Yorgos Lanthimos, "The Lobster" Other Nominees:

Damien Chazelle, "La La Land"

Eric Heisserer, "Arrival"

Barry Jenkins, "Moonlight"

Taylor Sheridan, "Hell or High Water"

Best Score Winner: Justin Hurwitz, "La La Land" Other Nominees:

Nicholas Britell, "Moonlight"

Johann Johannsson, "Arrival"

Mica Levi, "Jackie"

Image credits: A24, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Amazon Studios, Roadside Attractions, CS Entertainment, and Summit Entertainment