OUTSTANDING PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Ralph Fiennes (A Bigger Splash, Hail Caesar!, Kubo and the Two Strings)
Greta Gerwig (20th Century Women, Jackie, Maggie's Plan, Wiener-Dog)
Isabelle Hupper (Elle, Louder Than Bombs, Things to Come)
Michael Shannon (Elvis and Nixon, Loving, Midnight Special, Nocturnal Animals)
Tilda Swinton (A Bigger Splash, Doctor Strange, Hail Caesar!)

AND THE WINNER IS:

ISABELLE HUPPER (ELLE, LOUDER THAN BOMBS, THINGS TO COME)

Isabelle Huppert has been one of the greatest actress for decades now and to see such a wonderful actress finally get the worldwide appreciation she has always deserved is a sight to behold. Her work in Louder Than Bombs is good but sadly I don't hold much memories of the film as I've seen it so long ago. All I know is she was great as always, however she wins this prize for her two leading performances of the year in Mia Hansen-Løve's Things to Come and Paul Verhoeven's Elle.

First is Things to Come which is such a delighful film experience and Huppert is half the reason for this. Of course Hansen-Løve's direction counts for the film's greatness but like in most of her great work Huppert is able to play roles so real and lived in that you feel like the character she is playing is your best friend. Huppert's Nathalie smiles and enjoys life so much in this that after watching it I wanted to enjoy everything my life as much as she did.

While she's great in Things to Come her great film achievement and nearly my favourite performance of her entire career comes in Elle. Huppert is given a character fully deserving of her intense acting talent and she chews into this role so strong that when the continued horrific acts are being committed to her character you are fully invested because Hupperts performance of the role almost makes it all ok. Huppert says so much in her whole filmography by saying the least amount of words and Elle shows to another level why she is great at accomplishing this.

Isabelle Huppert is now an oscar nominee and the world feels right so I will continue to swim in her expanded notority to the world and watch her career continue to grow if that is even possible.