Continuing a tradition of unconventional choices, the Utah Film Critics Association named A Ghost Story as Best Picture of 2017.

The experimental drama following the journeys of a restless spirit also earned a runner-up nod for director David Lowery in the annual voting of the group of Utah-based print, broadcast and online film critics (of which, full disclosure, I am a member). The directing award was won by Christopher Nolan for Dunkirk, which also was runner-up for Best Picture.

In acting categories, the female lead performance award went to Sally Hawkins for The Shape of Water, as a mute woman who falls in love with an amphibious mer-man. Male lead performance was won by Andy Serkis for his motion-capture role as Caesar in War for the Planet of the Apes; Serkis had previously been recognized by Utah Film Critics for King Kong. In supporting female performance, Tatiana Maslany won for her role in Stronger as a woman nursing her partner back to health after he loses his legs in the Boston Marathon terrorist bombing. Male supporting performance went to Willem Dafoe as a paternal motel manager in The Florida Project.

Overall in the widely-distributed awards, only two films received more than one win: The Shape of Water, for Hawkins and for Alexandre Desplat's original score; and Blade Runner 2049, for adapted screenplay and for Roger Deakins' cinematography. Jordan Peele received the original screenplay award for Get Out.

Full list of winners and runners-up follows.

Best Picture: A Ghost Story (runner-up: Dunkirk)
Best Achievement in Directing: Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk (runner-up: David Lowery, A Ghost Story)
Best Lead Performance by an Actor, Female: Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (runner-up: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Best Lead Performance by an Actor, Male: Andy Serkis, War for the Planet of the Apes (runner-up: James Franco, The Disaster Artist)
Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female: Tatiana Maslany, Stronger (runner-up: Allison Janney, I, Tonya)
Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Male: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project (runner-up: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
Best Original Screenplay: Jordan Peele, Get Out (runners-up: Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri; Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Hampton Fancher and Michael Green, Blade Runner 2049 (runner-up: Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist)
Best Achievement in Cinematography: Roger Deakins, Blade Runner 2049 (runner-up: Hoyte van Hotema, Dunkirk)
Best Score: Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water (runner-up: Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch, Blade Runner 2049)
Best Animated Feature: Coco (runner-up: The LEGO Batman Movie)
Best Documentary Feature: Jane (runner-up: Chasing Coral)
Best Non-English Language Feature: Thelma (runners-up: Raw; A Fantastic Woman)