"This year marked a partial return to form for cinema: while the backlog of delayed 2020 releases began to clear and (some) movies made their much-anticipated homecoming to newly reopened theaters, the ongoing pandemic meant much of our movie-watching continued to be done from home.
Whether we witnessed their ascendancy by returning to theaters or via streaming, though, nothing could dampen the glow of the year's rising stars. Some were seasoned professionals getting their long-overdue recognition, while others were plucked from obscurity through pure chance. And while some dazzled under the full beam of the spotlight, others made quietly stirring impressions in smaller supporting roles.
However they made their way to our screens, each gave us the thrill of discovery and cheered us up by demonstrating the diversity of talent coming up on cinema's horizon."
