2006 NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW AWARDS

New York, NY – December 6, 2006 –The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures named LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA the 2006 Best Film of the Year. Directed by Clint Eastwood and released by Warner Bros. on December 20th, it tells the story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.

For Best Actor and Actress of 2006, the NBR honors two artists whose performances were truly exceptional. The 2006 Best Actor, FOREST WHITAKER, was selected for his performance in the title role of The Last King of Scotland. For the 2006 Best Actress honor, the NBR has selected HELEN MIRREN for her performance in The Queen.

Below is a full list of the awards given by the National Board of Review:

BEST TEN FILMS OF 2006
Best Film: LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
Best Director: MARTIN SCORSESE, The Departed
Best Actor: FOREST WHITAKER, The Last King of Scotland
Best Actress: HELEN MIRREN, The Queen
Best Supporting Actor: DJIMON HOUNSOU, Blood Diamond
Best Supporting Actress: CATHERINE O'HARA, For Your Consideration
Best Foreign Film: VOLVER
Best Documentary: AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Best Animated Feature: CARS
Best Ensemble Cast: THE DEPARTED
Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: RYAN GOSLING, Half Nelson
Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: (2)
JENNIFER HUDSON, Dreamgirls and RINKO KIKUCHI, Babel
Best Directorial Debut: JASON REITMAN, Thank You for Smoking
Best Original Screenplay: ZACH HELM, Stranger Than Fiction
Best Adapted Screenplay: RON NYSWANER, The Painted Veil

BEST TEN FILMS OF 2006
Best Film: LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
And, in alphabetical order
BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND
THE DEPARTED
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
THE HISTORY BOYS
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
THE PAINTED VEIL

BEST FIVE FOREIGN FILMS OF 2006
Best Foreign Film: VOLVER
And, in alphabetical order:
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
DAYS OF GLORY
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER

BEST FIVE DOCUMENTARIES OF 2006
Best Documentary: AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
And, in alphabetical order:
51 BIRCH STREET
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
SHUT UP & SING
WORDPLAY

TOP INDEPENDENT FILMS
(in alphabetical order)
AKEELAH AND THE BEE
BOBBY
CATCH A FIRE
COPYING BEETHOVEN
A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS
HALF NELSON
THE ILLUSIONIST
LONESOME JIM
SHERRYBABY
10 ITEMS OR LESS
THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

Career Achievement - ELI WALLACH
Billy Wilder Award for Excellence in Directing - JONATHAN DEMME
Career Achievement in Producing - IRWIN WINKLER
William K. Everson Film History Award - DONALD KRIM
The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression - WATER and WORLD TRADE CENTER

“2006 was one of the most challenging for the NBR in terms of choosing winners in the various categories,” said NBR President Annie Schulhof. “There were many outstanding films and performances this year, and our 2006 Ten Best Films list reflects a wide range of narratives. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is probably Mr. Eastwood's masterpiece and perhaps one of the greatest films of our time. His achievement is all the more extraordinary when one views the film as a companion piece to FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. We are also proud to honor the special career achievements of Eli Wallach, Irwin Winkler, Jonathan Demme and Donald Krim, all of whom are such talented and deserving people. The accounting firm of Lutz & Carr tabulated the actual ballots.”

Additional awards given by the NBR in 2006 include The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression, which champions the voices of maverick filmmakers. The films that have been selected to receive The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression are WATER and WORLD TRADE CENTER -- one a major studio motion picture, the other a small, independent production. Both deal with serious and provocative issues, rendered on film by uncompromising, visionary artists (Oliver Stone and Deepa Mehta, respectively).

The 2006 NBR Awards will be presented with BVLGARI at the annual gala on January 9th, 2007 at Cipriani’s 42nd St in New York City.