The 8th Florida Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in film for 2003, were announced on January 2, 2004:

Best Film:

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Best Director:

Peter Jackson – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Best Actor:

Sean Penn – 21 Grams and Mystic River

Best Actress:

Naomi Watts – 21 Grams

Best Supporting Actor:

Tim Robbins – Mystic River

Best Supporting Actress:

Patricia Clarkson – Pieces of April and The Station Agent

Best Cast:

A Mighty Wind

Best Screenplay:

Sofia Coppola – Lost in Translation

Best Animated Film:

Finding Nemo

Best Documentary Film:

Capturing the Friedmans

Best Foreign Language Film:

The Man on the Train (L’homme du train) – France/Germany/UK/Switzerland

Best Cinematography:

Andrew Lesnie – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Pauline Kael Breakout Award:

Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini (writers-directors) – American Splendor

Golden Orange for Outstanding Contribution to Film:

Cinematique of Daytona for inaugurating its film festival with an impressive program of new and classic films.