The Critics Choice Awards are an annual set of awards where film and TV critics vote to honor what they see as the year’s best work in movies and television.

What the Critics Choice Awards Are

The Critics Choice Awards are given out by the Critics Choice Association (CCA), a group of professional film and television critics from the United States and Canada. The show is positioned as a high-profile “critics’ pick” counterpart to industry-voted shows like the Oscars and Emmys, and usually takes place in the middle of Hollywood awards season.

How the Awards Work

Critics submit ballots during a nominating period, and the association announces nominees in December for work released that year. Winners are then chosen in a subsequent round of voting and revealed at a televised ceremony in January or early February, with recent shows held at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and broadcast on networks like The CW and E!.

What They Honor

There are separate but related branches for film and television, with categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, acting awards, and technical “craft” categories like cinematography, editing, and production design. In recent years the awards have expanded to include newer areas like stunt design, casting/ensemble, and a variety series category, reflecting shifts in how movies and TV are made and consumed.

Place in Today’s Awards Season

The ceremony has grown over about three decades from a relatively small event into a major ballroom show that studios watch closely as part of awards campaigning. Recent editions, such as the 29th and 30th Critics Choice Awards, have highlighted both film and television in the same night, with high-profile hosts like Chelsea Handler returning multiple years in a row.

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