The 22nd annual Gotham Independent Film Awards ceremony took place last night, Monday, November 26th, at Cipriani’s Wall Street, and was streamed live via the IFP's YouTube channel, which I embedded right here for you folks to watch.
For those who missed it, key awards you should be aware of (with respect to this site's focus) include:
– Emayatzy Corinealdi winning the award for Breakthrough Actor for her performance in Middle Of Nowhere.
– Beasts Of The Southern Wild's Benh Zeitlin winning the award for Breakthrough director.
– And Terence Nance's An Oversimplification of Her Beauty winning the award for Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You – a film that, as I've already noted, really should be playing at a theater near you right now!
Of course the question that's on some lips this morning, as is often the case the day after the Gothams, is what all this might mean for the grand-daddy of awards season, the Oscars.
And the answer is… I can't say that there has been a consistent, noticeable pattern. The Gotham Independent Film Awards signals the kick-off to the film awards season, and thus is considered the first major awards ceremony of the season; and if I were to say how nominees and winners benefit from the Gothams, it would be in the critical early recognition and media attention that each receives, going into the rest of awards season.
For example, Emayatzy Corinealdi could get a bit of boost, as future awards voters take a closer look at her performance, thanks to last night's big win for Breatkthrough Actor, which could also, in turn, benefit the film in major categories at other awards ceremonies, like Best Director for its helmer, Ava DuVernay.
The boost and increased awareness factor could help An Oversimplification of Her Beauty find the kind of distribution it deserves.
And so on…
I should note that previous Gotham Award winners for Best Feature and Best Documentary (like Beginners in 2011, The Tree Of Life in 2011, Winter's Bone in 2010, and The Hurt Locker in 2009), went on to be Oscar contenders, and in some cases, winners.
Of course there's the annual argument about what an independent film is, and whether some of the higher profile nominees and winners like Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, (which won the Gotham award for Best Feature) and Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, should be in contention for Gotham awards.
But that's a discussion for another time… one that I'm sure we've had previously, and will have again in the future.
Winner's List:
Best Feature
"Bernie"
"The Loneliest Planet"
"The Master"
"Middle of Nowhere"
"Moonrise Kingdom" – WINNER
Best Documentary
"Detropia"
"How to Survive a Plague" – WINNER
"Marina Abramavi?: The Artist is Present"
"Room 237"
"The Waiting Room"
Best Ensemble Performance
"Bernie"
"Moonrise Kingdom"
"Safety Not Guaranteed"
"Silver Linings Playbook"
"Your Sister's Sister" – WINNER
Breakthrough Director
Antonio Méndez Esparza, "Aquí y Allá (Here and There)"
Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild" – WINNER
Brian M. Cassidey, Melanie Shatzky, "Francine"
Jason Corlund, Julia Halperin, "Now, Forager"
Zal Batmanglij, "Sound of My Voice"
Breakthrough Actor
Mike Birbiglia, "Sleepwalk with Me"
Emayatzy Corinealdi, "Middle of Nowhere" – WINNER
Thure Lindhardt, "Keep the Lights On"
Melanie Lynskey, "Hello, I Must Be Going"
Quevenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You
"Kid-Thing"
"An Oversimplification of Her Beauty" – WINNER
"Red Flag"
"Sun Don't Shine"
"Tiger Tall in Blue"
