The 10th Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards were given out on December 5, 2011.
Best Film
- The Artist
- The Descendants
- Drive
- Hugo
- Win Win
Best Director
- Martin Scorsese – Hugo
- Woody Allen – Midnight in Paris
- Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
- Alexander Payne – The Descendants
- Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive
Best Actor
- George Clooney – The Descendants as Matt King
- Jean Dujardin – The Artist as George Valentin
- Michael Fassbender – Shame as Brandon Sullivan
- Brad Pitt – Moneyball as Billy Beane
- Michael Shannon – Take Shelter as Curtis LaForche
Best Actress
- Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn as Marilyn Monroe
- Viola Davis – The Help as Aibileen Clarke
- Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene as Martha
- Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady as Margaret Thatcher
- Tilda Swinton – We Need to Talk About Kevin as Eve Khatchadourian
Best Supporting Actor
- Albert Brooks – Drive as Bernie Rose
- Kenneth Branagh – My Week with Marilyn as Laurence Olivier
- John Hawkes – Martha Marcy May Marlene as Patrick
- Christopher Plummer – Beginners as Hal
- Andy Serkis – Rise of the Planet of the Apes as Caesar
Best Supporting Actress
- Octavia Spencer – The Help as Minny Jackson
- Bérénice Bejo – The Artist as Peppy Miller
- Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids as Megan
- Carey Mulligan – Shame as Sissy Sullivan
- Shailene Woodley – The Descendants as Alexandra King
Best Adapted Screenplay
- The Descendants – Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, and Alexander Payne
- The Help – Tate Taylor
- Hugo – John Logan
- Moneyball – Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin
- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Bridget O’Connor and Peter Straughan
Best Original Screenplay
- 50/50 – Will Reiser
- The Artist – Michel Hazanavicius
- Bridesmaids – Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig
- Midnight in Paris – Woody Allen
- Win Win – Tom McCarthy
Best Cast
- Bridesmaids
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
- The Help
- Hugo
- Margin Call
Best Animated Film
- Rango
- The Adventures of Tintin
- Arthur Christmas
- Puss in Boots
- Winnie the Pooh
Best Documentary Film
- Cave of Forgotten Dreams
- Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey
- Buck
- Into the Abyss
- Project Nim
Best Foreign Language Film
- The Skin I Live In • Spain
- 13 Assassins • Japan
- Certified Copy • France
- I Saw the Devil • South Korea
- Pina • Germany
Best Art Direction
- Hugo
- The Artist
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
- The Tree of Life
- War Horse
Best Cinematography
- The Tree of Life
- The Artist
- Hugo
- Melancholia
- War Horse
Best Score
- The Artist – Ludovic Bource
- Drive – Cliff Martinez
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
- Hugo – Howard Shore
War Horse – John Williams