(CNN) — The musical “La La Land” has danced its way into snagging a biggie at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.
The film starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone about a pair of performers pursuing both their dreams and a love affair was named best picture, helping to place it firmly in the forefront of Oscar contenders.
“Moonlight” took three awards, including best director for Barry Jenkins, best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali and best cinematographer for James Laxton.
Likewise, “Manchester by the Sea” scored a trio of awards with best screenplay for Kenneth Lonergan, best actor for Casey Affleck and best supporting actress for Michelle Williams (who was named for that award for her work in both “Manchester by the Sea” and the film “Certain Women”).
The New York Film Critics Circle is an organization of film reviewers from New York-based publications that was founded in 1935. In the past, the winners have been good indicators for the Academy Award nominations.
The following is the full list of winners and honorees:
Best picture
“La La Land”
Best director
Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”
Best screenplay
Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea”
Best actress
Isabelle Huppert, “Elle” and “The Things to Come”
Best actor
Casey Affleck, “Manchester by the Sea”
Best supporting actress
Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea” and “Certain Women”
Best supporting actor
Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”
Best cinematographer
James Laxton, “Moonlight”
Best animated film
“Zootopia”
Best non-fiction film (documentary)
“O.J.: Made in America”
Best foreign language film
“Toni Erdmann”
Best first film
Kelly Fremon Craig, “The Edge of Seventeen”
Best first film
Trey Edward Shults, “Krisha”
Special award
Thelma Schoonmaker and Julie Dash, “Daughters of the Dust” (25th anniversary restoration)