'Carol' named best picture by New York Film Critics Circle

(The Hollywood Reporter)The New York Film Critics Circle has named "Carol" as its best picture of 2015. The Todd Haynes-directed film — which stars Cate Blanchett as a housewife who meets and begins an affair with a shop clerk and aspiring photographer (Rooney Mara) in 1950s New York — won four awards from the critics organization.

In addition to best picture, "Carol" received honors for best director, best screenplay and best cinematography. However, neither Blanchett nor Mara received an acting award for the film. Instead, the organization, which voted on its annual film picks on Monday, selected Michael Keaton as best actor for his work in Spotlight and Saoirse Ronan as best actress for her role in Brooklyn. The best supporting actress nod went to Kristen Stewart for her part in "Clouds of Sils Maria."

"Inside Out" was named best animated film, the latest honor for the Pixar movie after it was namedbest animated film by the National Board of Review and received 14 Annie Award nominations on Tuesday.

The NBR's pick for best film, Mad Max: Fury Road, was ignored by the NYFCC, as were Oscar hopefuls "The Hateful Eight," "The Martian," "Beasts of No Nation" and "Room," which each won awards from the NBR. Other prospective Oscar contenders ignored by the NYFCC include "Steve Jobs," "Joy," "Concussion," "The Revenant," "Anomalisa," "Truth," "The Danish Girl," "Straight Outta Compton," "The Big Short," " Amy," "Sicario" and "Tangerine." "Spotlight," meanwhile, only received one award from NYFCC: Keaton's best actor nod.

Read more: 'Spotlight' tops Gotham Awards; full winners list

Last year, Boyhood was the big winner among the NYFCC, with the Richard Linklater-directed movie taking home three awards.

The full list of the NYFCC's 2015 winners follows:

Best Picture: Carol

Best Actor: Michael Keaton, Spotlight

Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Director: Todd Haynes, Carol

Best Screenplay: Carol

Best Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Best Supporting Actress: Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria

Best Animated Film: Inside Out

Best Cinematography: Edward Lachman, Carol

Best First Film: Son of Saul

Best Foreign Film: Timbuktu

Best Nonfiction Film: In Jackson Heights

Special Award: Posthumous award honoring the legacy of William Becker and Janus Films

Special Award: Ennio Morricone, composer

Founded in 1935, the organization's membership includes critics from daily and weekly newspapers, magazines and qualifying online general-interest publications. Every year in December, the group meets in New York to vote on awards for the previous calendar year's films.

In addition to the regular categories, which include best picture, director, actor and actress, special stand-alone awards are given to individuals and organizations that have made substantial contributions to the art of cinema, including producers, directors, actors, writers, critics, historians, film restorers and service organizations.

The awards are set to be handed out in New York on Jan. 4.

CNN