Bay Area crix hug 'Tree of Life'

Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Existence" received top honors for the best picture and director Sunday in the Bay Area Film Experts Circle, that also granted the Fox Searchlight release using its cinematography prize for d.p. Emmanuel Lubezki. Gary Oldman came the actor prize for his performance as British agent George Smiley in Focus Features' "Mess Tailor Soldier Spy," that also won a script award in the S.F. experts for Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan's adaptation. Tilda Swinton nabbed the actress laurels on her bad-mother submit Oscilloscope Laboratories' "We have to Discuss Kevin." Albert Brooks put into his growing stash of critics' awards having a supporting-actor citation for FilmDistrict's "Drive," while Vanessa Redgrave was crowned supporting actress on her operate in the Weinstein Co.'s "Coriolanus." Original script visited J.C. Chandor for "Margin Call," a Lionsgate/Kerbside Points of interest release. Abbas Kiarostami's "Licensed Copy" (IFC) came the foreign-language film jerk, while Errol Morris' "Tabloid" (IFC's Sundance Chooses) acquired the documentary award. Paramount's "Rango" won the group's animation prize. The org presented a unique citation for less than-appreciated independent cinema to Lech Majewski's "The Mill and also the Mix," as the National Film Upkeep Foundation received the Marlon Riggs Award for courage and vision within the San Francisco Bay Area film community. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com