Trifecta (film awards)
| TRIFECTA The Trifecta of American Film Critics' Awards | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Film critics awards |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location | United States |
| Participants | New York Film Critics Circle Los Angeles Film Critics Association National Society of Film Critics |
The Trifecta (also known as the American film critics' awards trifecta or NYFCC-LAFCA-NSFC trifecta) is a term used in Hollywood awards commentary to describe when a film, director, actor, actress, or other eligible recipient wins the same category at all three major film critics' organizations[1] in a single season: the New York Film Critics Circle Awards (NYFCC), the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (LAFCA), and the National Society of Film Critics Awards (NSFC).[2]
These three groups, collectively known as the Trifecta of critics' awards, are considered the most prestigious film critics awards and early indicators in the awards season prior to the Golden Globes Awards ceremony. Trifecta awards are often announced in December and January. Winning the Trifecta in a major category, in all those three associations, is considered a significant achievement and a strong predictor of success at later broadcast awards ceremonies in the path to the Academy Awards.[3][4]
History and usage
The term Trifecta emerged in awards prognosticating circles during the end of 1990s as these critics' groups gained prominence for their influence on Oscar races. The NYFCC (founded 1935)[5] announces first, typically in early December, followed by LAFCA (founded 1975)[6] in mid-December, and NSFC (founded 1966) in early January.[7] Unlike guild awards, these three major critics groups emphasize critical acclaim over commercial success, often favoring artistic merit[8] over box office performance or bias towards American productions.[9]
The Trifecta is tracked primarily in unified categories (no drama/musical split), and its winners frequently overlap with Oscar nominees or victors. For instance, seven films have achieved the Best Picture Trifecta, all earning Oscar nominations for Best Picture.[10]
Predictive power
- Since 2000, approximately 70% of Best Picture winners chosen by Trifecta critics groups have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, with several (e.g., Schindler's List, The Hurt Locker) winning.[11]
- Acting Trifectas are rarer but highly predictive; winners like Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine, Tár) have gone on to Oscar victories.[12]
- The NSFC win, as the final leg, often cements frontrunner status due to its reputation for artistic rigor.[13]
Complete Trifecta winners
Best Picture
Only seven films have swept Best Picture across NYFCC, LAFCA, and NSFC.
| Year | Film | Director | NYFCC | LAFCA | NSFC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Goodfellas | Martin Scorsese | Won | Won | Won |
| 1993 | Schindler's List | Steven Spielberg | Won | Won | Won |
| 1997 | L.A. Confidential | Curtis Hanson | Won | Won | Won |
| 2009 | The Hurt Locker | Kathryn Bigelow | Won | Won | Won |
| 2010 | The Social Network | David Fincher | Won | Won | Won |
| 2021 | Drive My Car | Ryûsuke Hamaguchi | Won | Won | Won |
| 2022 | Tár | Todd Field | Won | Won | Won |
Best Director
| Year | Director | Film | NYFCC | LAFCA | NSFC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | David Fincher | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | Won | Won | Won |
| 2010 | David Fincher (2) | The Social Network | Won | Won | Won |
| 2016 | Barry Jenkins | Moonlight | Won | Won | Won |
| 2021 | Ryûsuke Hamaguchi | Drive My Car | Won | Won | Won |
| 2022 | Todd Field | Tár | Won | Won | Won |
Best Actor
| Year | Actor | Film | NYFCC | LAFCA | NSFC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | John Hurt | The Elephant Man | Won | Won | Won |
| 1982 | Jack Lemmon | Missing | Won | Won | Won |
| 1993 | Liam Neeson | Schindler's List | Won | Won | Won |
| 2007 | Daniel Day-Lewis | There Will Be Blood | Won | Won | Won |
| 2013 | Bruce Dern | Nebraska | Won | Won | Won |
| 2017 | Ethan Hawke | First Reformed | Won | Won | Won |
| 2022 | Colin Farrell | The Banshees of Inisherin | Won | Won | Won |
Best Actress
| Year | Actress | Film | NYFCC | LAFCA | NSFC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Sally Field | Norma Rae | Won | Won | Won |
| 1980 | Sissy Spacek | Coal Miner's Daughter | Won | Won | Won |
| 1982 | Meryl Streep | Sophie's Choice | Won | Won | Won |
| 1992 | Emma Thompson | Howards End | Won | Won | Won |
| 1993 | Holly Hunter | The Piano | Won | Won | Won |
| 2006 | Helen Mirren | The Queen | Won | Won | Won |
| 2013 | Cate Blanchett | Blue Jasmine | Won | Won | Won |
| 2022 | Cate Blanchett (2) | Tár | Won | Won | Won |
Best Supporting Actor
| Year | Actor | Film | NYFCC | LAFCA | NSFC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Jack Nicholson | Terms of Endearment | Won | Won | Won |
| 1992 | Gene Hackman | Unforgiven | Won | Won | Won |
| 1994 | Martin Landau | Ed Wood | Won | Won | Won |
| 2009 | Christoph Waltz | Inglourious Basterds | Won | Won | Won |
| 2014 | J. K. Simmons | Whiplash | Won | Won | Won |
| 2016 | Mahershala Ali | Moonlight | Won | Won | Won |
| 2022 | Ke Huy Quan | Everything Everywhere All at Once | Won | Won | Won |
Best Supporting Actress
| Year | Actress | Film | NYFCC | LAFCA | NSFC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Meryl Streep | Kramer vs. Kramer | Won | Won | Won |
| 1993 | Anna Paquin | The Piano | Won | Won | Won |
| 2013 | Lupita Nyong'o | 12 Years a Slave | Won | Won | Won |
| 2018 | Regina King | If Beale Street Could Talk | Won | Won | Won |
| 2023 | Da'Vine Joy Randolph | The Holdovers | Won | Won | Won |
See also
References
- ^ Davis, Clayton (2023-01-07). "Cate Blanchett, Ke Huy Quan and 'Tár' Win National Society of Film Critics, Completing Rare Major Critics Awards Trifecta". Variety. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ "Lead Actress Performances that won from the NYFCC/LAFCA/NSFC Trifecta". letterboxd.com. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ Davis, Clayton (2025-12-07). "'One Battle After Another' Wins Big at L.A. Film Critics With Best Picture, Ethan Hawke and Rose Byrne Take Lead Acting Prizes". Variety. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ Davis, Clayton (2025-12-05). "Critics Choice Awards Nominations: 'Sinners' Dominates With 17 Noms, Cynthia Erivo Snubbed for 'Wicked: For Good'". Variety. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ "Lead Actress Performances that won from the NYFCC/LAFCA/NSFC Trifecta". letterboxd.com. 2017-10-23. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ www.adam-makes-websites.com, Adam Jones-. "About - LAFCA". www.lafca.net. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ "AwardsWatch - National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) winners: 'Drive My Car' completes Best Picture trifecta, Penélope cruises to Best Actress victory". AwardsWatch. 2022-01-08. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ @redfortz (2025-08-23). "Best Independent Films of 2025 (Critics' Picks)". Red Fortz. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ Davis, Clayton (2025-11-30). "Awards Season Ignites: What Will Gotham, NYFCC, NBR and LAFCA Pick — and Will It Shape the Oscar Race?". Variety. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ White, Abbey (2022-01-08). "'Drive My Car' Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ Sheehan, Paul (2022-12-11). "Will the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards predict Oscars? Don't bet on it". Gold Derby. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ "2022 National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) awards: 'TÁR,' Cate Blanchett, Ke Huy Quan earn trifecta wins". AwardsWatch. 2023-01-07. Retrieved 2025-12-10.
- ^ "AwardsWatch - 2024 National Society of Film Critics (NSFC): 'Nickel Boys' Wins Best Picture; Marianne Jean-Baptiste Named Best Actress". AwardsWatch. 2025-01-04. Retrieved 2025-12-10.