"Dorian Award" Nominations - here's what LGBTQ critics loved this year
Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 10:45AM
NATHANIEL R in GALECA, LGBTQ+, film critics, precursor awards

by Nathaniel R

The 14th annual Dorian Film Award winners will be announced on February 23rd. The Dorian Film Awards comes from the Society of LBGTQ Critics (also known as GALECA, an earlier acronym) to which a few of us here at The Film Experience belong. But we're just a tiny drop in the bucket; The society has grown tremendously and now represents over 400 critics/journalists. Everything Everywhere All At Once led the nominations with 9 with TÁR as runner up with 7 nominations.

Full list of nominees and a few comments follow (NOW UPDATED WITH WINNERS 2/23) ...

Film of the Year

The Fabelmans scored a nomination with NO OTHER NODS which is interesting since the other films are abundantly represented in other categories. Though it should be noted that the young star of The Fabelmans, Gabriel Labelle was nominated in Rising Star though that category doesn't technically specify a film. 

 
LGBTQ Film of the Year

BENEDICTION

EEAAO totally qualifies but it's so abundantly honored in nearly all the other categories that it would have been nice to see a smaller queer picture here for some variety. In other words, spread the wealth! As it now it's easy to suspect that EEAAO will win both top film prizes and Michelle Yeoh is also likely to win two prizes. Lots of double-dipping possible.

Note to self: It's weird that we haven't written about Benediction here at TFE. We need a bigger team!

Given that all of the nominees are English language pictures, and usually are, GALECA needs to add a Category for "Non-English Language LGBTQ Film of the Year" to mirror the top two awards... and because it would be thematically correct with the organization: Blue Caftan, Girl Picture, Joyland, and Close would have looked great as nominees, for example. 

 
Director(s) of the Year 

 
Screenplay of the Year 

Director & Screenplay are an exact match. A year of the writer-director.

 
Non-English Language Film of the Year

CLOSE

These are all really fine films but given how closely nominations aligned with Globes, Critics Choice, and now GALECA (the only GALECA nominee not nominated at those previous orgs is EO) it's clear that with the "specialty" categories each year (this, animation, doc) it's always a contest of "how many people have actually seen your film?" Thus the power of awards campaigns if you can afford them! 

In other words we're shedding a tear for terrific pictures like Holy Spider, Girl Picture, Joyland, and Return to Seoul, that didn't get the same kind of exposure as these five. Will Oscar voters go with the four above (minus RRR obviously since it's not eligible for that prize) and if so which of the other finalists gets a slot? Will they add in something underrecognized or simply switch out RRR for Globe nominee Bardo or Globe winner Argentina 1985. It's worth noting that the Spirit awards strayed far from the Globe/Critics Choice picks in terms of Oscar hopefuls and honored Joyland, Corsage, Return to Seoul, and Saint Omer.

 
Unsung Film of the Year (to an exceptional movie worthy of greater attention)

EMILY THE CRIMINAL

Hmmm, there really should be a rule that if you're nominated for Film of the Year you can't also be nominated for "Unsung"... since that becomes dichotomous. Personally disappointed that Girl Picture didn't score here or anywhere else since we held out hope that at least queer critics would recognize it (I voted for it in multiple categories myself) 

Note to self: It's strange that we haven't written about Emily the Criminal here at TFE. Aubrey Plaza had such a fantastic year between this and White Lotus: Sicily.

 
Film Performance of the Year

TILL

Color us surprised that this ended up being an exact 50/50 split between actors and actresses. 

Supporting Film Performance of the Year

 THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

Only two male actors nominated here so it's a delight that Barry Keoghan is one of them given the odds against him. Even with 8 nominations for supporting actresses, the Women Talking thespians did not land. That also happened at SAG which suggests that votes are splitting and people are just thinking "great cast".

  

Documentary of the Year

FIRE OF LOVE

 

LGBTQ Documentary of the Year 

  

Animated Film of the Year

A shame that no non-English language film scored given five slots. (This complaint is also known as Inu-Oh is better than Wendell & Wild)

 
Film Music of the Year

ELVIS

 
Visually Striking Film of the Year 

 

Campiest Flick of the Year 

I don't personally vote on this category since I believe "camp" has lost all discernible purposeful definition in 21st century overuse but I think Blonde should have easily scored here. (P.S. I hated Blonde.)

Rising Star Award

WEDNESDAY

Though Dorian Awards have a separate TV awards, for some reason they lump "Rising Star" in the film awards but then you end up with new TV stars making the list like Ortega who we agree is superb in Wednesday!  

 
Wilde Artist Award (to a truly groundbreaking force in film, theater and/or television) 

If we were going to honor Keke Palmer here (a solid way to honor her!) why also include her in "supporting" for her lead role in Nope? 

LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer.
★ Janelle Monae

Special prize.

 
Timeless Award (to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit; alternates yearly between male and female / non-binary honorees)

Given that the acting categories have gone genderless, it's odd that this one remains gendered and alternating. GALECA has not yet announced a winner in this category.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE NOMINATION THIS YEAR HERE? 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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