With the beginning of December, the New York Film Critics Circle became the first of many critics groups to release their year-end awards earlier today. Top honors went to IFC Films’ Boyhood, which not only claimed Best Picture but saw its director Richard Linklater and one of its stars Patricia Arquette win prizes. Some of the other big winners were worthy albeit more surprising picks, notably Best Actor going to Mr. Turner‘s Timothy Spall and Best Actress to Marion Cotillard for two films, The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night.

While seen by many as the “first precursor” awards to the Oscars, last year’s New York Film Critics Circle winners overwhelming went Oscar-less at that year’s ceremony. Only Cate Blanchett and Steve McQueen prevailed at both ceremonies, while the other 9 NYFCC winners were passed over by the Academy Awards. This year’s crop of winners contains several suspected frontrunners, including Best Supporting Actor winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash). Check out the full list of winners below:

Best Picture: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Best First Film: Jennifer Kent (The Babadook)
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard (for The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night)
Special Award: Adrienne Mancia
Best Actor: Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner)
Best Cinematography: Darius Khondji (The Immigrant)
Best Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
Best Nonfiction Film: Citizenfour
Best Foreign Language Film: Ida
Best Animated Film: The Lego Movie

After years of prodding, he’s finally woken the sleeping giant…and it’s pissed.

Several witnesses have accused Armond White, contrarian film critic and now former member of the New York Film Critics Circle, of vicious heckling directed at 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen at a recent New York Film Critics Circle awards ceremony. McQueen was making his way toward the stage to accept the award for Best Director when White allegedly shouted insults from his table: “Liberal white bullshit!”, “Kiss my ass!”, “Fuck You!”. Many attendees also recalled him calling McQueen “an embarrassing doorman” and “a garbage man”. Strange…

White staunchly denied the accounts of his accusors, most notable of which was Slate’s Dana Stevens, who was seated at his table and initially reported the heckling of White and his guests, young men. In the end, the evidence proved too overwhelming: with several attendees backing up Stevens’ claims, the NYFCC voted White out of their ranks on Monday morning.

ABOVE: McQueen at the 2013 Mill Valley Film Festival

I view White’s disruptive actions as indefensible. Civility and respect for all filmmakers should be key standards for events like this, and all evidence points to White throwing those principles out the window.

What makes the scandal so regrettable is that White, in my estimation, is one of the most knowledgable, brilliant, demanding film critics of the past 50 years. His voice is irreplaceable. Despite many violently disagreeing with his defiant, consensus-crushing (some say antagonistic) statements and critiques, his opinions are inarguably educated, and his immovable stance is a constant catalyst for healthy film discussion. For someone so talented, who’s dedicated such a large part of his life to film, to disrespect his peers and the community he belongs to by acting so rudely, is a damn shame.

He’s as gifted and passionate a critic as you’ll find on the internet or in print, but now he’s gone and pissed people off in all the wrong ways.