Awards season is now officially into the “awards” phase, as the Gotham Awards kicked off last night in cheery fashion. The New York-based ceremony celebrates the makers of independent film and has become an early staple of the season, with the last three Best Feature winners in a row going on to win the Best Picture Oscar. Now there’s no voter overlap so that doesn’t mean much in and of itself, but it is a reflection of how indies have dominated the Academy Awards in recent years.
The critically acclaimedCall Me by Your Namegot its season off to a terrific start last night, taking home the Best Feature prize as well as the Breakthrough Actor award forTimothée Chalamet. But it was a close call when it came to the big award asGet Outhad been dominating all night, taking home Best Director and Screenplay forJordan Peeleas well as the Audience Award. Anyone who thinksGet Outisn’t a major Oscar movie should take this as a wakeup call—it’s a big deal, and it’s going to be a big deal for the next few months.
ElsewhereSaoirse Ronanpicked up Best Actress for her brilliant turn inLady Bird, whileJames Francodeservedly nabbed the Best Actor trophy for his phenomenal work inThe Disaster Artist, which I do really hope is a harbinger of recognition to come. Franco’s donea lotover the past few years, but this is quite possibly his best performance to date.
Check out the full list of Gotham Awards winners below and check back later for the National Board of Review’s end-of-year honors. Then next week we’ve got the Critics Choice nominations and AFI Awards. It’s happening, folks!
For even more awards season goodness,click herefor my Oscar predictions.
Best Feature
Call Me by Your Name
Luca Guadagnino, director; Peter Spears, Luca Guadagnino, Emilie Georges, Rodrigo Teixeira, Marco Morabito, James Ivory, Howard Rosenman, producers (Sony Pictures Classics) - WINNER
The Florida Project
Sean Baker, director; Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch, Kevin Chinoy, Andrew Duncan, Alex Saks, Francesca Silvestri, Shih-Ching Tsou, producers (A24)
Jordan Peele, director; Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm, Jr., Jordan Peele, producers (Universal Pictures)
Josh and Benny Safdie, directors; Paris Kasidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas, Sebastian Bear-McClard, Oscar Boyson, producers (A24)
Craig Gillespie, director; Bryan Unkeless, Steven Rogers, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, producers (NEON)
Best Documentary
Ex Libris - The New York Public Library
Frederick Wiseman, director and producer (Zipporah Films)
Theo Anthony, director; Riel Roch-Decter, Sebastian Pardo, producers (MEMORY and Cinema Guild)
Strong Island
Yance Ford, director; Yance Ford, Joslyn Barnes, producers (Netflix) - WINNER
Whose Streets?
Sabaah Folayan, Damon Davis, directors; Sabaah Folayan, Damon Davis, Jennifer MacArthur, Flannery Miller, producers (Magnolia Pictures)
Jairus McLeary, director; Alice Henty, Eon McLeary, Jairus McLeary, Miles McLeary, producers (The Orchard and First Look Media)
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Maggie Betts forNovitiate(Sony Pictures Classics)
Greta Gerwig forLady Bird(A24)
Kogonada forColumbus(Superlative Films/Depth of Field)
Jordan Peele forGet Out(Universal Pictures) - WINNER
Joshua Z Weinstein forMenashe(A24)
Best Screenplay
The Big Sick, Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani (Amazon Studios)
Brad’s Status, Mike White (Amazon Studios)
Call Me by Your Name, James Ivory (Sony Pictures Classics)
Columbus, Kogonada (Superlative Films/Depth of Field)
Get Out, Jordan Peele (Universal Pictures) - WINNER
Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig (A24)
Best Actor*
Willem Dafoe inThe Florida Project(A24)
James Franco inThe Disaster Artist(A24) - WINNER
Daniel Kaluuya inGet Out(Universal Pictures)
Robert Pattinson inGood Time(A24)
Adam Sandler inThe Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)(Netflix)
Harry Dean Stanton inLucky(Magnolia Pictures)
Best Actress*
Melanie Lynskey inI Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore(Netflix)
Haley Lu Richardson inColumbus(Superlative Films/Depth of Field)
Margot Robbie inI, Tonya(NEON)
Saoirse Ronan inLady Bird(A24) - WINNER
Lois Smith inMarjorie Prime(FilmRise)
Breakthrough Actor
Mary J. Blige inMudbound(Netflix)
Timothée Chalamet inCall Me by Your Name(Sony Pictures Classics) - WINNER
Harris Dickinson inBeach Rats(NEON)
Kelvin Harrison, Jr. inIt Comes at Night(A24)
Brooklynn Prince inThe Florida Project(A24)
- The 2017 Best Actor/Best Actress nominating committee also voted to award a special Gotham Jury Award for ensemble performance toMudbound, The award will go to actors Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell, Mary J. Blige, Rob Morgan, and Jonathan Banks.
Breakthrough Series – Long Form
Atlanta, Donald Glover, creator; Donald Glover, Dianne McGunigle, Paul Simms, executive producers (FX Networks) - WINNER
Better Things, Pamela Adlon, Louis C.K., creators; Dave Becky, M. Blair Breard, Louis C.K., Pamela Adlon, executive producers (FX Networks)
Dear White People, Justin Simien, creator; Yvette Bowser, Justin Simien, Stephanie Allain, Julia Lebedev, executive producers (Netflix)
Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator; Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Harry Williams, Jack Williams, executive producers (Amazon)
Search Party, Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, Michael Showalter, creators; Sarah-Violet Bliss, Charles Rogers, Michael Showalter, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, executive producers (TBS)
Breakthrough Series – Short Form
555, Kate Berlant, Andrew DeYoung and John Early, creators (Vimeo)
Inconceivable, Joel Ashton McCarthy, creator (YouTube)
Junior, Zoe Cassavetes, creator (Blackpills and VICE)
Let Me Die a Nun, Sarah Salovaara, creator (Vimeo)
The Strange Eyes of Dr. Myes, Nancy Andrews, creator (YouTube) - WINNER
