I’m not sure how much trust you can put in a group that makes Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey a 4th place finisher (in a tie with Nomadland and Da 5 Bloods) in the nominations count, but you have to respect their gumption. It’s a solid list hitting on many of the current contenders and giving broad, surprisingly overwhelming support to Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Nominations Tallies

(9) Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
(7) Mank, The Trial of the Chicago 7
(6) Da 5 Bloods, The Father, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Nomadland
(5) Promising Young Woman, Tenet
(4) Emma., Minari, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
(3) Soul

The Nominations

Best Independent Film (under $20M)

The Father
First Cow
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Nomadland
Promising Young Woman

Best Studio Film (over $20M)

Da 5 Bloods
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Soul
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Animated Film

Onward
Over the Moon
Soul
The Willoughbys
Wolfwalkers

Best Director

Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Spike Lee – Da 5 Bloods
George C. Wolfe – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Florian Zeller – The Father
Chloe Zhao – Nomadland

Best Actor

Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Anthony Hopkins – The Father
Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods
Steven Yeun – Minari

Best Actress

Nicole Beharie – Miss Juneteenth
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Frances McDormand – Nomadland
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman

Best Supporting Actor

Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods
Bo Burnham – Promising Young Woman
Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Frank Langella – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – The Trial of the Chicaog 7
Bill Murray – On the Rocks

Best Supporting Actress

Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Olivia Colman – The Father
Talia Ryder – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Amanda Seyfried – Mank
Youn Yuh-jung – Minari

Best Original Screenplay

Mank
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Palm Springs
Promising Young Woman
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Father
First Cow
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Nomadland

Best Musical Score

Mank
The Midnight Sky
Minari
Soul
Tenet

Best Original Song

“Husavik” – Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
“Loyal Brave True” – Mulan
“Speak Now” – One Night in Miami
“This Day” – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
“Wuhan Flu” – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Best Editing

The Father
Nomadland
Tenet
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Wander Darkly

Best Cinematography

Da 5 Bloods
Emma.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Mank
Nomadland
Tenet

Best Production Design

Emma.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Tenet

Best Costume Design

Emma.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Sylvie’s Love

Best Makeup

Birds of Prey
Emma.
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Possessor

Best Visual Effects

The Invisible Man
Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
The Midnight Sky
Tenet
Wonder Woman 1984

Best Foreign-Language Film

Another Round
Bacurau
Beanpole
His House
The Life Ahead

Best Documentary

Boys State
Dick Johnson Is Dead
Rising Phoenix
The Social Dilemma
Time

Best Ensemble Cast

Da 5 Bloods
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Minari
One Night in Miami
The Trial of the Chicago 7

Impact Award (positive impact in cinema)

Chadwick Boseman
Garrett Bradley
Scott H. Dehn
Ryan Oestreich
Chloe Zhao

Trailblazer Award (audacious artist/film)

Radha Blank
Chadwick Boseman
Emerald Fennell
Steve McQueen
Chloe Zhao

Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle Data

First Awards: 2016 (5)