Women Film Journalists Favor Artist, The Help, Bridesmaids

Awards! So many awards -- this time around it's the Alliance of Women Film Journalists passing along the EDA Awards, their annual choices for the best, worst, weirdest and otherwise noteworthy films of 2011. Find an old standby at the top of the list, along with a few of the Alliance's customarily female-forward and refreshingly cheeky ("Most Egregious Love Interest Age Difference Award," anyone?) accolades. Congrats to all the winners!

EDA ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Best Film: The Artist
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Best Screenplay, Original: Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
Best Screenplay, Adapted: (TIE) The Descendants - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash; Moneyball - Steven Zallian and Aaron Sorkin
Best Documentary: Buck
Best Animated Film: Rango
Best Actress: Viola Davis as Abileen in The Help
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: (TIE) Janet McTeer as Hubert Page in Albert Nobbs; Octavia Spencer as Minny Jackson in The Help
Best Actor: Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan in Shame
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Christopher Plummer as Hal Fields in Beginners
Best Ensemble Cast: Bridesmaids
Best Editing: Hugo - Thelma Schoonmaker
Best Cinematography: The Tree of Life - Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Film Music Or Score: (TIE) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Original Score; Hanna - The Chemical Brothers, Original Score
Best Non-English-Language Film: A Separation - Ashgar Farhadi, Iran

EDA FEMALE FOCUS AWARDS
Best Woman Director: Lynne Ramsey - We Need To Talk About Kevin
Best Woman Screenwriter: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo - Bridesmaids
Kick Ass Award For Best Female Action Star: (TIE) Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander in Girl With The Dragon Tattoo; Saoirse Ronan as Hanna in Hanna
Best Animated Female: Isla Fisher as Beans in Rango
Best Breakthrough Performance: Elizabeth Olsen as Martha in Martha Marcy May Marlene
Female Icon Award: Glenn Close as Albert Nobbs in Albert Nobbs
Actress Defying Age and Ageism: Helen Mirren as Rachel Singer in The Debt
This Year’s Outstanding Achievement By A Woman In The Film Industry: Jessica Chastain for performances in four highly acclaimed films
AWFJ Award For Humanitarian Activism: Angelina Jolie for UN work and making In The Land of Blood and Honey to raise awareness about genocide.

EDA SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS
AWFJ Hall Of Shame Award: The Hollywood Reporter for failing to invite any women to join the Directors Roundtable
Actress Most in Need Of A New Agent: All actresses in New Year’s Eve
Movie You Wanted To Love But Just Couldn‘t: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Unforgettable Moment Award: The Artist - The sound of the glass clinking on the table.
Best Depiction Of Nudity, Sexuality, or Seduction: (TIE) Melancholia - Justine in the moonlight; Shame - Opening sequence on the subway train.
Sequel Or Remake That Shouldn’t Have Been Made Award: The Hangover Part II
Most Egregious Love Interest Age Difference Award: (TIE) Albert Nobbs - Glenn Close (64) and Mia Wasilkowska (22); Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part I - Bella (18) and Edward (Over 100)

[AWFJ]