Yesterday saw the release of my standout male performances from 2016 and today marks the release of the standout female performances. I think it’s safe to say that the overall standout in all of 2016 would have to be Isabelle Huppert in Verhoeven’s Elle. I do not think that film could even possibly begin to exist without her performance.
ISABELLE HUPPERT in Paul Verhoeven’s Elle
KATE BECKINSALE in Whit Stillman’s Love & Friendship
ROYALTY HIGHTOWER and ALEXIS NEBLETT in Anna Rose Holmer’s The Fits
ZHAO TAO in Jia Zhangke’s Mountains May Depart
HAILEE STEINFELD in Kelly Fremon’s The Edge of Seventeen
KATE LYN SHEIL in Robert Greene’s Kate Plays Christine
SALOMÉ RICHARD in Rachel Lang’s Baden Baden
ADDISON TIMLIN in Zach Clark’s Little Sister
JENJIRA PONGPAS in Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Cemetery of Splendor
LEAH FAY GOLDSTEIN in Pavan Moondi & Brian Robertson’s Diamond Tongues
KATE MCKINNON in Paul Feig’s Ghostbusters
SAKURA ANDO in Momoko Ando’s 0.5mm
LILY GLADSTONE in Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Women
KRISHA FAIRCHILD in Trey Edward Stults’ Krisha
ELEONORA IVANOVA in Iva Gocheva’s Sunday
MACKENZIE DAVIS in Sophia Takal’s Always Shine
REBECCA HALL in Antonio Campos’ Christine
MADDISON ROTHERY in Lauren Rothery’s Shelly
KIRSTEN DUNST in Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special
