The annual Gotham Awards ceremony for independent films was held in New York on Monday evening. We take a look back at the winners of the 2023 edition.
Created in 1991 in New York, the Gotham Awards ceremony aims to celebrate and promote independent cinema. There are a number of categories in which films are honoured.
The 2023 edition first of all paid tribute to various protagonists in the industry. Among the actors (as well as directors and/or producers, scriptwriters and singers), Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born, American Sniper, Limitless) was honoured as a “cultural icon”, while Ben Affleck (Gone Girl, Will Hunting, Pearl Harbor) was praised as a visionary icon.
George C. Wolfe (playwright and director) was celebrated with the distinction of “Tribute to an Icon and Creator for Social Justice”. Michael Mann (director, screenwriter and producer) was also honoured in the “Tribute to an Icon and Creator for Innovation” category, and Greta Gerwig (actress, screenwriter and director) in the “Tribute to a Creator and Global Icon” section.
Anatomie d’une chute wins double award
Anatomie d’une chute (Anatomy of a Fall) by French director Justine Triet won the Gotham Award for Best International Film against All Of Us Strangers, Poor Things, Totem and The Zone Of Interest. The film also won the Gotham for Best Screenplay against All Of Us Strangers, May December, R.M.N. and The Zone Of Interest. The synopsis? Sandra and her husband Samuel live with their 11-year-old son Daniel. When Samuel is found dead, the police investigate and Sandra becomes the prime suspect. The film has already been awarded the Palme d’Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
The Gotham prize for best film went to Past Lives, directed by Celine Song, which traces the love story of two fictional heroes, Nora and Hae Sung, through the different periods of their lives. Passages, Reality, Showing Up and A Thousand and One were also nominated.
Best Documentary went to Four Daughters, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. The film, which mixes documentary and fiction, tells the story of a Tunisian family, Olfa and her four daughters. One day, the two eldest daughters disappear. The director invited two actresses to fill the void left by their disappearance, offering a journey through rebellion, hope, transmission and sisterhood. Also competing in this category were the documentaries Our Body, Apolonia Apolonia, Against The Tide, and 20 Days In Mariupol.
A Small Light, created by Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, won the Gotham Award for a series with episodes longer than 40 minutes. The series tells the story of Miep Gies, a Dutch woman who played a key role in hiding Anne Frank and her family during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam.
The prize for the series with episodes lasting less than 40 minutes went to Beef, directed by Lee Sung Jin. It tells the story of two strangers involved in a scene of road rage who have to support each other through the ordeal.
Director A.V. Rockwell and actors Lily Gladstone, Ali Wong and Charles Melton receive awards
The director’s prize went to American director A.V. Rockwell for A Thousand And One. The story is based on Inez, who kidnaps six-year-old Terry from his foster family. Mother and son will keep the secret and try to reconnect with their identity and stability in a rapidly changing New York society. Directors Celine Song, Raven Jackson, Georgia Oakley and Michelle Garza Cervera were also among the nominees.
Actress Lily Gladstone won in the Outstanding Performance category for her film The Unknown Country, while Ali Wong was honoured for his performance in the series Beef. Finally, Charles Melton was honoured for his performance in a supporting role in May December.
The world of cinema is now looking forward to some of the most closely watched events in the world of cinema. In March 2024, the 96th Academy Awards will take place, followed by the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May 2024.
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Front page photo: © Anatomy of a Fall poster
