The Gotham Awards might not be the most reliable Oscar precursor, since it only takes a different small committee of film critics (5 or 6 I guess) for each category, so its nominees choices don't come from a lot critics. But it is said it takes a wider committee to pick the winners (different from the nominees committee). Correct if I'm wrong, but it was what I understood.
So, people pay a lot of attention to Gotham Awards, not because it is a big prestigious award, but because it is the very first award of the season. Personally, the nominees are fun and it is always a delight to see some non-buzzy but great performances and movies in the nominees shortlist, but they aren't that relevant when it comes to predicting the Oscars. The winners - it is a different story!
Since the winners come from a wider board of people working in the industry, which shows their preferences, and the winners are announced a few days away of major critics awards announcements and the Golden Globes, which might have some influence in future choices. This way, Marriage Story should claim the top spot of our predictions right now!
Noah Baumbach's latest not only took home Best Feature, but it also won Best Screenplay (Noah Baumbach), Best Actor (Adam Driver) and the Audience Award (which says a lot about how non-critics perceived the movie)! It was a sweep! Marriage Story took home every award it was nominated for. The absence of Scarlett Johansson in the Best Actress nominees shortlist stills sounds atrocious, but the overall love for the movie will help her no matter what. Plus, Laura Dern received the Actress Tribute Award - another right note to Marriage Story.
About the other winners: after an Independent Spirit Award snub, Awkwafina needed a win here and she got it; Taylor Russell won Breakthrough Actor, which combined with the Virtuoso Award she will receive at Sta. Barbara International Film Festival and the Independent Spirit Award nod for Best Supporting Female, makes me believe she will rise in my Best Supporting Actress predictions (and she's wonderful in Waves!); When They See Us was able to beat the TV phenomenon Chernobyl, so I would call it "almost a double win"; and Clermont-Tonnerre won Breakthrough Director for The Mustang (one of my personal favorite movies of the year). Overall, I like this winners a lot!
Just have a look at the complete list of nominees and winners:
BEST FEATURE
- The Farewell
- Uncut Gems
- Waves
- Marriage Story (WINNER)
- Hustlers
BEST DOCUMENTARY
- American Factory (WINNER)
- Apollo 11
- The Edge of Democracy
- Midnight Traveler
- One Child Nation
BINGHAM RAY BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR AWARD
- Laure De Clermont-Tonnerre, The Mustang (WINNER)
- Kent Jones, Diane
- Joe Talbot, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
- Olivia Wilde, Booksmart
- Phillip Youmans, Burning Cane
BEST SCREENPLAY
- Lulu Wang, The Farewell
- Tarell Alvin McCraney, High Flying Bird
- Jimmie Fails, Joe Talbot and Rob Richert, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
- Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story (WINNER)
- Ari Aster, Midsommar
BEST ACTOR
- Adam Driver, Marriage Story (WINNER)
- Aldis Hodge, Clemency
- Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
- Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse
- Andre Holland, High Flying Bird
BEST ACTRESS
- Florence Pugh, Midsommar
- Awkwafina, The Farewell (WINNER)
- Mary Kay Place, Diane
- Alfre Woodard, Clemency
- Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR
- Taylor Russell, Waves (WINNER)
- Julia Fox, Uncut Gems
- Aisling Franciosi, The Nightingale
- Jonathan Majors, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
- Noah Jupe, Honey Boy
- Chris Galust, Give Me Liberty
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES - LONG FORM
- Chernobyl
- David Makes Man
- My Brilliant Friend
- Unbelievable
- When They See Us (WINNER)
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES - SHORT FORM
- Pen15 (WINNER)
- Ramy
- Russian Doll
- Tuca & Bertie
- Undone
AUDIENCE AWARD: Marriage Story
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