Chicago critics call ‘Moonlight’ the best film of 2016

“Moonlight” was the year’s best movie, the Chicago Film Critics Association decided in awards presented Thursday night.

The critics gave their top prize to Barry Jenkins’ coming-of-age triptych and also gave their top directing honor to Jenkins. “Moonlight’s” Mahershala Ali was named best supporting actor.

The film given the most awards, though, was Kenneth Lonergan’s homecoming drama “Manchester by the Sea,” cited for Lonergan’s original screenplay and for the acting of Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and “most promising performer” Lucas Hedges.

The best actress prize went to Natalie Portman for her turn as Jacqueline Kennedy in “Jackie,” also honored for its score.

Another awards season favorite, Damien Chazelle’s musical “La La Land,” won in only two technical categories, for editing and cinematography. It opens Friday in Chicago.

Park Chan-wook’s sensual Korean crime thriller “The Handmaiden” was the choice not just for best foreign language film, but also for adapted screenplay and art direction.

“The Witch” director Robert Eggers was named most promising filmmaker, “O.J.: Made in America” won the documentary award, and “Kubo and the Two Strings” was cited among animated films.

Contributing: Bill Stamets