4th Annual Four Kents Film Awards
The 97th Academy Awards is quickly approaching, but it’s only the second most prestigious film award—after the Four Kents Film Awards, of course. Recognizing outstanding cinematic achievements in 2024, this year’s Four Kents features 16 categories, up from 15 last year. This year I’ve introduced a new category—Best Ensemble, recognizing the best cast in film.
Some of the nominees below, like The Taste of Things, may be officially categorized as 2023 films, but my personal rule is: if a film wasn’t reasonably accessible for me to watch until 2024, then I will consider it a 2024 film. Which is also why you also won’t see great 2024 films, like I’m Still Here, The Brutalist, or Nickel Boys, anywhere below—because they weren’t released in theatres near me until 2025.
You might be wondering, “Hey, Kent. Your list of Best Picture nominees looks very different from your list of the Top 10 Films of 2024. What gives?” The list of the best films of 2024 I published earlier this year included my personal favorite films of last year. But films I love are not always films I feel are awards-worthy, hence the differences from that list compared to the award winners and nominees below. In fact, some of the films below may not be ones I actually gave high marks at all, but I still felt they had the artistry that’s deserving of recognition.
View the list of winners and nominees below, and let me know which films you think should’ve been nominated—or should’ve won!
Best Picture: Dune: Part Two
Nominees:
Challengers
Evil Does Not Exist
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I Saw the TV Glow
Origin
Society of the Snow
The Taste of Things
Best Director: George Miller (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga)
Nominees:
J.A. Bayona (Society of the Snow)
Edward Berger (Conclave)
Ava DuVernay (Origin)
Alex Garland (Civil War)
Luca Guadagnino (Challengers)
Ryūsuke Hamaguchi (Evil Does Not Exist)
Trần Anh Hùng (The Taste of Things)
Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow)
Denis Villenueve (Dune: Part Two)
Best Actor: Ariana Grande (Wicked)
Nominees:
Juliette Binoche (The Taste of Things)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Origin)
Josh Hartnett (Trap)
Anthony Hopkins (One Life)
Benoît Magimel (The Taste of Things)
Glenn Powell (Hit Man)
Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow)
Hilary Swank (Ordinary Angels)
Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga)
Best Supporting Actor: Joan Chen (Dìdi)
Nominees:
Adria Arjona (Hit Man)
Austin Butler (Dune: Part Two)
Chris Hemsworth (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga)
Brian Tyree Henry (The Fire Inside)
Karren Karagulian (Anora)
Audra McDonald (Origin)
Usha “Taew” Seamkhum (How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies)
Cailee Spaeny (Civil War)
Jaquel Spivey (Mean Girls)
Best Ensemble: Dune: Part Two
Nominees:
All of Us Strangers
Anora
Challengers
Conclave
Evil Does Not Exist
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
Rebel Ridge
Society of the Snow
Best Screenplay: Challengers
Nominees:
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Evil Does Not Exist
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Hit Man
I Saw the TV Glow
The Taste of Things
Best Original Score: Dune: Part Two
Nominees:
Challengers
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I Saw the TV Glow
Society of the Snow
The Wild Robot
Best Original Song: “I Always Wanted a Brother” from Mufasa: The Lion King
Nominees:
“Beyond” from Moana 2
“Divine” from Trap
“Not My Fault” from Mean Girls
“Save Me” from Trap
“We Got Together” from Mufasa: The Lion King
Best Sound: Flow
Nominees:
Challengers
Dune: Part Two
Evil Does Not Exist
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I Saw the TV Glow
The Substance
The Taste of Things
Wicked
Best Production Design: Dune: Part Two
Nominees:
The Book of Clarence
Conclave
Flow
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I Saw the TV Glow
Society of the Snow
The Taste of Things
Wicked
Best Cinematography: Dune: Part Two
Nominees:
Alien: Romulus
Challengers
Conclave
Evil Does Not Exist
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
I Saw the TV Glow
Society of the Snow
The Taste of Things
Best Makeup & Hairstyling: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Nominees:
Dune: Part Two
Hit Man
I Saw the TV Glow
Society of the Snow
The Substance
Wicked
Best Costume Design: Dune: Part Two
Nominees:
The Book of Clarence
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Wicked
Best Film Editing: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Nominees:
Challengers
Dune: Part Two
Evil Does Not Exist
I Saw the TV Glow
Society of the Snow
The Taste of Things
Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two
Nominees:
Alien: Romulus
Challengers
Flow
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Society of the Snow
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Best Stunts: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Nominees:
The Fall Guy
Monkey Man
