List of common film awards categories

The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards.

• See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#Film awards, and List of awards for supporting actor#Film.

A "Best Adapted Screenplay" award is generally issued for the best achievement in transferring a written work from another genre, such as a novel or comic book, in whole or in part, to a feature film.

• AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• César Award for Best Adaptation
• Golden Horse Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• Goya Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
• Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay

• AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
• Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
• BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Screenplay
• Golden Horse Award for Best Original Screenplay
• Goya Award for Best Original Screenplay
• Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay
• Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay

• Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
• Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Animation
• Annie Award for Best Animated Feature
  • Annie Award for Best Animated Feature – Independent
• Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film
• Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film
• BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film
• Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Animated Film
• César Award for Best Animated Film
• Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film
• Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature
• Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film
• Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Feature
• European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film
• Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Film
• Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film
• Goya Award for Best Animated Film
• Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film
• Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film
• National Board of Review Award for Best Animated Film
• National Film Award for Best Animated Film
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Film
• Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Film
• San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Film
• San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Feature
• Satellite Award for Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature
• Saturn Award for Best Animated Film
• St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film
• Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film
• Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Feature

• AACTA Award for Best Cinematography
• Academy Award for Best Cinematography
• BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Cinematography
• Cesar Award for Best Cinematography
• Golden Horse Award for Best Cinematography
• Filmfare Award for Best Cinematography
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography
• Magritte Award for Best Cinematography

• AACTA Award for Best Costume Design
• Academy Award for Best Costume Design
• BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Costume Design

• AACTA Award for Best Direction
• Academy Award for Best Director
• Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Director
• BAFTA Award for Best Direction
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Director
• César Award for Best Director
• Citra Award for Best Director
• Crystal Simorgh for Best Director
• Empire Award for Best Director
• Empire Award for Best British Director
• European Film Award for Best Director
• Golden Globe Award for Best Director
• Golden Horse Award for Best Director
• Goya Award for Best Director
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Director
• Japan Academy Prize for Director of the Year
• Lux Style Award for Best Film Director
• Polish Academy Award for Best Director
• Satellite Award for Best Director
• Saturn Award for Best Director

• AACTA Award for Best Editing
• Academy Award for Best Film Editing
• American Cinema Editors
• BAFTA Award for Best Editing
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Editing
• César Award for Best Editing
• Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Editing
• Genie Award for Best Film Editing
• German Film Prize for Best Editing
• Golden Horse Award for Best Film Editing
• Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing
• San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing
• Satellite Award for Best Editing
• Saturn Award for Best Editing

A "Best Foreign Language Film" is generally awarded to a film originating in a country and language different from those where the award is being given.

• Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, until 2020 called Best Foreign Language Film
• BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language, until 1990 called Best Foreign Language Film
• Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film
• Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Foreign Language Film
• Golden Eagle Award for Best Foreign Language Film

• Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• BAFTA Award for Best Makeup and Hair
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Hair
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Makeup
• David di Donatello for Best Make-up
• Saturn Award for Best Make-up
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Makeup
• Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Make-up Artist
• Nandi Award for Best Makeup Artist
• Nandi Award for Best Makeup Artist
• IIFA Award for Best Makeup
• National Film Award for Best Make-up Artist
• Vijay Award for Best Make Up Artistes
• Kerala State Film Award for Best Makeup Artist
• Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Makeup
• ARY Film Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Make-up Artist

• AACTA Award for Best Film
• Academy Award for Best Picture
• BAFTA Award for Best Film
• BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film
• Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film
• Cairo International Film Festival
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Motion Picture
• Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or
• César Award for Best Film
• Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Picture
• Crystal Simorgh for Best Film
• Empire Award for Best Film
• Empire Award for Best British Film
• Filmfare Award for Best Film
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
• Film Fest Gent’s Grand Prix
• Guldbagge Award for Best Film
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Film
• MTV Movie Award for Best Movie
• Lux Style Award for Best Film
• NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture
• National Board of Review Award for Best Film
• National Film Award for Best Feature Film
• National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film
• New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
• Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture

• AACTA Award for Best Production Design
• Academy Award for Best Production Design – Formally known as Best Art Direction
• BAFTA Award for Best Production Design
• César Award for Best Production Design
• National Film Award for Best Production Design
• Metro Manila Film Festival Award for Best Production Design
• Polish Academy Award for Best Production Design
• Golden Calf for Best Production Design
• Bavarian Film Awards (Production Design)
• European Film Award for Best Production Designer
• Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Production Design
• Satellite Award for Best Art Direction and Production Design
• Saturn Award for Best Production Design

• AACTA Award for Best Original Music Score
• Academy Award for Best Original Score
• Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Award for Best Achievement in Music – Original Score
• BAFTA Award for Best Film Music
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Score
• Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
• Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
• Satellite Award for Best Original Score

• Academy Award for Best Original Song
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Song
• Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
• Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media
• Guild of Music Supervisors Award for Best Song Written and/or Recording Created for a Film
• Lux Style Award for Best Song of the Year
• Satellite Award for Best Original Song

• AACTA Award for Best Sound
• Academy Award for Best Sound
• BAFTA Award for Best Sound
• Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Sound
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Overall Sound
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Sound Editing
• César Award for Best Sound
• David di Donatello for Best Sound
• Filmfare Award for Best Sound Design
• Golden Calf for Best Sound Design
• IIFA Award for Best Sound Recording
• Kerala State Film Award for Best Sound Recordist
• Laurence Olivier Award for Best Sound Design
• Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Sound
• Polish Academy Award for Best Sound
• Satellite Award for Best Sound

• Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, which was called "Best Special Effects" from 1939 to 1963, and included both visual and sound effects from 1939 to 1962
• BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects, which has been known as that since it was introduced in 1982
• Canadian Screen Award for Best Visual Effects
• César Award for Best Visual Effects
• Satellite Award for Best Visual Effects

• List of films considered the best