IFP announced the 2017 Gotham Awards nominations this morning and it was filled with the usual amount of surprises and snubs that you’d expect for juried honors determined by committees of just five or so critics and media members.
“Get Out” earned the most nominations with four including Best Feature, Breakthrough Director (Jordan Peele), Best Screenplay (Peele) and Best Actor (Daniel Kaluuya). “The Florida Project” earned three nominations including Best Feature, Best Actor (Willem Dafoe) and Breakthrough Actor (Brooklynn Prince). “Call Me By Your Name” also was honored with three nods including Best Feature, Best Screenplay (James Ivory) and Breakthrough Actor (Timothée Chalamet).
The biggest snub was Guilermo Del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” that found even the celebrated Sally Hawkins overlooked in the Best Actress field. Other notable omissions included “The Beguiled” (although Sofia Coppola is getting a tribute) and “A Ghost Story.” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” was not eligible because of a foreign producer rule. It will be eligible for Spirits.
A24 led all distributors with 11 nominations while Netflix earned five (including a television nod for “Dear White People”), Universal Pictures took four (all for the aforementioned “Get Out”), Sony Pictures Classics earned four and newbie Neon surprised with three.
It’s worth noting that while the last three Best Picture winners won the Best Feature at the Gotham Awards only six of their past 15 nominees in that category earned the equivalent Oscar nomination.
The 2017 Gotham Awards will be held on Nov. 27, 2017. Previously announced tributes include Al Gore, Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Coppola.
Here’s a list of all this year’s nominees and some initial awards season analysis on each category.
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)
“The Florida Project”
Sean Baker, director; Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch, Kevin Chinoy, Andrew Duncan, Alex Saks, Francesca Silvestri, Shih-Ching Tsou, producers (A24)
“Get Out”
Jordan Peele, director; Sean McKittrick, Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm, Jr., Jordan Peele, producers (Universal Pictures)
“Good Time”
Josh and Benny Safdie, directors; Paris Kasidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas, Sebastian Bear-McClard, Oscar Boyson, producers (A24)
“I, Tonya”
Craig Gillespie, director; Bryan Unkeless, Steven Rogers, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, producers (NEON)
Analysis: “Florida Project” and “I, Tonya” needed this the most. Worth noting “Florida” is the second Sean Baker film after “Tangerine” to earn this recognition. The nod for “I, Tonya” over “Shape” is laughable, but that’s what five voters will get you. It will be a tight race between “Call Me,” “Get Out” and “Florida” for the win.
Best Documentary
“Ex Libris – The New York Public Library”
Frederick Wiseman, director and producer (Zipporah Films)
“Rat Film”
Theo Anthony, director; Riel Roch-Decter, Sebastian Pardo, producers (MEMORY and Cinema Guild)
“Strong Island”
Yance Ford, director; Yance Ford, Joslyn Barnes, producers (Netflix)
“Whose Streets?”
Sabaah Folayan, Damon Davis, directors; Sabaah Folayan, Damon Davis, Jennifer MacArthur, Flannery Miller, producers (Magnolia Pictures)
“The Work”
Jairus McLeary, director; Alice Henty, Eon McLeary, Jairus McLeary, Miles McLeary, producers (The Orchard and First Look Media)
Analysis: Some very surprising nominees here with celebrated docs such as Laura Poitras’ “Risk,” “City of Ghosts,” “Cries from Syria” and “Chasing Coral” not making the cut.
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Maggie Betts for “Novitiate” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Greta Gerwig for “Lady Bird” (A24)
Kogonada for “Columbus” (Superlative Films/Depth of Field)
Jordan Peele for “Get Out” (Universal Pictures)
Joshua Z Weinstein for “Menashe” (A24)
Analysis: No real surprises here. Should be a showdown between Gerwig and Peele for the win.
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)
“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig (A24)
Analysis: This was the only category the biggest independent film of the year, “The Big Sick,” found some love. They will likely get more recognition from the Spirit Awards.
Best Actor
Willem Dafoe in “The Florida Project” (A24)
James Franco in “The Disaster Artist” (A24)
Daniel Kaluuya in “Get Out” (Universal Pictures)
Robert Pattinson in “Good Time” (A24)
Adam Sandler in “The Meyerowitz Stories” (New and Selected) (Netflix)
Harry Dean Stanton in “Lucky” (Magnolia Pictures)
Analysis: Overlooking Sam Elliot in “The Hero” here was unfortunate.
Best Actress
Melanie Lynskey in “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore” (Netflix)
Haley Lu Richardson in “Columbus” (Superlative Films/Depth of Field)
Margot Robbie in “I, Tonya” (NEON)
Saoirse Ronan in “Lady Bird” (A24)
Lois Smith in “Marjorie Prime” (FilmRise)
Analysis: Again, the idea Sally Hawkins was snubbed here is eyebrow raising.
Breakthrough Actor
Mary J. Blige in “Mudbound” (Netflix)
Timothée Chalamet in “Call Me by Your Name” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Harris Dickinson in “Beach Rats” (NEON)
Kelvin Harrison, Jr. in “It Comes at Night” (A24)
Brooklynn Prince in “The Florida Project” (A24)
Analysis: Danielle Macdonald deserved some recognition here for “Patti Cake$.” Chalamet or Prince is your likely winner.
The 2017 Best Actor/Best Actress nominating committee also voted to award a special Gotham Jury Award for ensemble performance to “Mudbound.” 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)
“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)
Analysis: Amazingly, “Atlanta,” “Fleabag” and “Search Party” didn’t qualify last year. So, it’s the Gotham Awards for television in 2016. Nice to see the shockingly underrated first season of “Dear White People” get some much deserved love.
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)
Analysis: If you’ve seen any of these nominees you have a lot of free time on your hands.