This ceremony celebrating independent cinema launches the start of the Oscar race. Jafar Panahi’s film created a surprise by winning three trophies.
Celebrating independent cinema, the Gotham Awards mark the start of the race for awards in Hollywood and a marathon of ceremonies which will end in apotheosis on March 15 with the Oscars. The list of Gotham awards, awarded Monday evening in New York, surprised many seasoned prognosticators. Certainly, Paul Thomas Anderson’s black comedy One battle after another walked away with the king trophy for best film. But the satire carried by Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, competing in six categories, was not able to push its gains further.
To everyone’s astonishment, the big winner of the evening was the Iranian film A simple accident by Jafar Panahi. The Palme d’Or triumphed in the categories of best international film, best original screenplay and best director. Becoming the most awarded feature film of the gala. “I dedicate this award to independent filmmakers from Iran and around the world – those who, in silence, without support, and sometimes at the risk of their lives, strong only in their faith in truth and humanity – continue to film. I hope this will be seen as a modest tribute to all filmmakers deprived of the right to see and be seen, but who persist in creating and existing. greeted the filmmaker. The director did not allude to the one-year prison sentence he had just received in absentia.
The reign of the underdogs
The other winners also proved to be outsiders, beating out much more established artists. Actor and director Harry Lighton won the award for best adaptation for Pillion, which caused a stir during its presentation at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard category. The best actor award went to British comedian Sopé Dìrísù, a moving father trying to protect his children from the political chaos gripping Lagos in My Father’s Shadow by Akinola Davies Jr, who received the trophy for best young director. Sopé Dìrísù prevailed over favorites Jessie Buckley (Hamnet ), Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You), Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love ), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon) et Amanda Seyfried (The Testament of Ann Lee). The Best Supporting Actor award went to Wunmi Mosaku for her performance as a vampire hunter in Sinners.
For three years, the Gotham Awards have removed all budget criteria. Previously, to be eligible, a film had to have been made with less than $35 million. That doesn’t stop the ceremony from handing out honorary trophies generously to include other season favorites deemed too mainstream to compete. Frankenstein by Guillermo del Toro and the musical drama To a blues tunewith Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson were distinguished.
The Gotham Awards are not considered a precursor to the Oscars. However, the breakthrough of Just an accident, which represents France in the Oscar category for best international film, perhaps suggests a greater popularity than expected in a year, where many non-English-speaking films (L’agent secret, Sentimental value ) could play spoilsport in the general categories. This Tuesday should give new indications. The New York Critics Association and Critics Choice Awards nominations are expected.