IFP handed out the 2017 Gotham Awards tonight in Manhattan tonight in a long, but entertaining program hosted by Keegan-Michael Key.
The big winner of the night was Barry Jenkins‘ “Moonlight” which took home every honor it was nominated for including Best Feature and Best Screenplay as well as a previously announced jury prize for Ensemble and an Audience Award voted by IFP members. Isabelle Huppert was something of a surprise Best Actress winner for “Elle,” while Casey Affleck took Best Actor as expected for “Manchester By The Sea.”
Each Gotham was determined by a different committee of five to six industry notables who were revealed before each winner was announced.
Here are the night’s winners with some quick analysis.
AUDIENCE AWARD
(Voted on by IFP members)
“Moonlight”
Analysis: Well, there were a ton of nominees, but good bet that “Moonlight” takes the Spirit honor unless ‘Manchester’ turns into a big(ger) hit which is entirely possible.
BEST FEATURE
Certain Women
Kelly Reichardt, director; Neil Kopp, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani, producers (IFC Films)
Everybody Wants Some!!
Richard Linklater, director; Megan Ellison, Ginger Sledge, Richard Linklater, producers (Paramount Pictures)
Manchester by the Sea
Kenneth Lonergan, director; Kimberly Steward, Matt Damon, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck, Kevin J. Walsh, producers (Amazon Studios)
Moonlight – WINNER
Barry Jenkins, director; Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, producers (A24)
Paterson
Jim Jarmusch, director; Joshua Astrachan, Carter Logan, producers (Amazon Studios)
Analysis: With both NBR, NYFCC and LAFCA announcing their year end honors by Sunday it may be a very big week for “Moonlight” on the critic front.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Cameraperson
Kirsten Johnson, director; Marilyn Ness, producer (Janus Films)
I Am Not Your Negro
Raoul Peck, director; Rémi Grellety, Raoul Peck, Hébert Peck, producers (Magnolia Pictures)
O.J.: Made in America – WINNER
Ezra Edelman, director; Caroline Waterlow, Ezra Edelman, Tamara Rosenberg, Nina Krstic, Deirdre Fenton, Erin Leyden, producers (ESPN Films)
Tower
Keith Maitland, director; Keith Maitland, Megan Gilbride, Susan Thomson, producers (Kino Lorber, Independent Lens)
Weiner
Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, directors and producers (Sundance Selects and Showtime Documentary Films)
Analysis: First of likely many wins for “O.J.: Made in America.” The most important thing about this awards season category is that while Academy voters try to watch as many nominees as possible this is one where they often vote for the film that has earned the most notoriety.
BINGHAM RAY BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR AWARD
Robert Eggers for The Witch (A24)
Anna Rose Holmer for The Fits (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert for Swiss Army Man (A24)
Trey Edward Shults for Krisha (A24) – WINNER
Richard Tanne for Southside with You (Roadside Attractions and Miramax)
Analysis: A24 had three chances to win and it did! Nice win for Trey Edward Shults whose next movie is “It Comes At Night” is also an A24 movie.
BEST SCREENPLAY
Hell or High Water, Taylor Sheridan (CBS Films)
Love & Friendship, Whit Stillman (Amazon Studios)
Manchester by the Sea, Kenneth Lonergan (Amazon Studios)
Moonlight, Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney; Screenplay by Barry Jenkins (A24) – WINNER
Paterson, Jim Jarmusch (Amazon Studios)
Analysis: This is a significant win for “Moonlight” against strong competition. “Manchester” will be powerful competition, but the original screenplay race may come down to these two films. The more wins either can rack up may help its case when Academy voters place their ballots.
BEST ACTOR
Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea (Amazon Studios) – WINNER
Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water (CBS Films)
Adam Driver in Paterson (Amazon Studios)
Joel Edgerton in Loving (Focus Features)
Craig Robinson in Morris from America (A24)
Analysis: If Affleck didn’t win it would be a shock, but this should be the beginning of a long run of critics groups wins this season. Affleck’s Oscar hopes will likely be determined when he faces “Fences'” Denzel Washington at the Globes and SAG Awards. Still should be a tight race until Oscar Sunday.
BEST ACTRESS
Kate Beckinsale in Love & Friendship (Amazon Studios)
Annette Bening in 20th Century Women (A24)
Isabelle Huppert in Elle (Sony Pictures Classics) – WINNER
Ruth Negga in Loving (Focus Features)
Natalie Portman in Jackie (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Analysis: The Gothams always like one major upset and that’s pretty much what happens when you have just five people voting on a performance. Replace Beckinsale with Emma Stone and this could be your Oscar five. Portman is still the frontrunner, but this win is a huge PR coup for Sony Classics in getting Huppert into the Oscar mix.
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR
Lily Gladstone in Certain Women (IFC Films)
Lucas Hedges in Manchester by the Sea (Amazon Studios)
Royalty Hightower in The Fits (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Sasha Lane in American Honey (A24)
Anya Taylor-Joy in The Witch (A24) – WINNER
Analysis: Well, that’s a surprise. Taylor-Joy will be seen next in “Barry” and “Thoroughbred,” the latter which is rumored to be going to the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
SPECIAL GOTHAM JURY AWARD FOR ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
“Moonlight”
Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Alex Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monáe, Jaden Piner, Trevante Rhodes, and Ashton Sanders.
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – LONG FORM
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Rachel Bloom & Aline Brosh McKenna, creators; Marc Webb, Rachel Bloom, Aline Brosh McKenna, Erin Ehrlich, executive producers (The CW) – WINNER
The Girlfriend Experience, Lodge Kerrigan, Amy Seimetz, creators; Steven Soderbergh, Philip Fleischman, Amy Seimetz, Lodge Kerrigan, Jeff Cuban, Gary Marcus, executive producers (Starz)
Horace and Pete, Louis C.K., creator; M. Blair Breard, Dave Becky, Vernon Chatman, Dino Stamatopoulos, executive producers (louisck.net)
Marvel’s Jessica Jones, Melissa Rosenberg, creator; Melissa Rosenberg, Liz Friedman, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Joe Quesada, Dan Buckley, Jim Chory, Jeph Loeb, Howard Klein, executive producers (Netflix)
Master of None, Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang, creators; Michael Schur, David Miner, Dave Becky, executive producers (Netflix)
Analysis: Sort of a surprise. You would have expected New York based “Master of None” or “Horace and Pete” to win but, once again, the Gotham committees (this one included “Mr. Robot’s” Sam Esmail) surprise.
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – SHORT FORM
The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo, Brian Jordan Alvarez, creator (YouTube)
Her Story, Jen Richards and Laura Zak, creators (herstoryshow.com) – WINNER
The Movement, Darnell Moore, Host (Mic.com)
Sitting in Bathrooms with Trans People, Dylan Marron, creator (Seriously.TV)
Surviving, Reagan Gomez, creator (YouTube)
Analysis: Haven’t seen the winner, but “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo” is fantastic. It’s also very east side LA. Wonder if that hurt it.