The Trifecta (also known as the American film critics' awards trifecta or NYFCC-LAFCA-NSFC trifecta) is a term used in Hollywood awards commentary to describe when a film, director, actor, actress, or other eligible recipient wins the same category at all three major film critics' organizations in a single season: the New York Film Critics Circle Awards (NYFCC), the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (LAFCA), and the National Society of Film Critics Awards (NSFC).
These three groups, collectively known as the Trifecta of critics' awards, are considered the most prestigious film critics awards and early indicators in the awards season prior to the Golden Globes Awards ceremony. Trifecta awards are often announced in December and January. Winning the Trifecta in a major category, in all those three associations, is considered a significant achievement and a strong predictor of success at later broadcast awards ceremonies in the path to the Academy Awards.
The term Trifecta emerged in awards prognosticating circles during the end of 1990s as these critics' groups gained prominence for their influence on Oscar races. The NYFCC (founded 1935) announces first, typically in early December, followed by LAFCA (founded 1975) in mid-December, and NSFC (founded 1966) in early January. Unlike guild awards, these three major critics groups emphasize critical acclaim over commercial success, often favoring artistic merit over box office performance or bias towards American productions.
The Trifecta is tracked primarily in unified categories (no drama/musical split), and its winners frequently overlap with Oscar nominees or victors. For instance, seven films have achieved the Best Picture Trifecta, all earning Oscar nominations for Best Picture.
Only eight films have swept Best Picture across NYFCC, LAFCA, and NSFC.