The annual Gotham Awards is the first prominent awards ceremony that set the Oscar season on the move without gender acting categories. Gender-neutral prizes will be awarded for Outstanding Supporting Performance and Outstanding Lead Performance that marks the first ceremony honors for supporting performances. While the Gotham Awards do not line up with the Oscars, they play an essential role in boosting the front-runners.
The Gotham Awards also added a New Series category for Outstanding Performance. Automatically disqualified from Gotham Awards consideration are the films with budgets exceeding $35 million. Therefore, the major Oscar contenders did not make the cut, including Jeymes Samuels’ “The Harder They Fall,” Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature directorial debut “Tick Tick Boom,” and Adam McKay’s “Don’t Look Up.”
The Gotham Awards is an independent film ceremony in New York, the city first nicknamed Gotham to honor films made in the northeastern region of the U.S. community. In 2004, the scope expanded to include the international scene, and the awards increased from six to nine, and segments originating from Los Angeles to international locations.
Before the nomination announcements, the Gotham Awards confirmed that Kristen Stewart is the recipient of this year’s Performance Tribute for her performance in “Spencer.” Eamonn Bowles will receive the Industry Tribute while Campion will get the Director’s Tribute, and the cast of “The Harder They Fall” will receive the Industry Tribute.
The Best Feature winner last year was “Nomadland.” It also won Best Picture at the Oscars and the Golden Globes.
The Best Actor award went to Riz Ahmed, Oscar nomination in the same category. Nichole Behari won the 2021 Best actress prize for her performance in “Miss Juneteenth.”
Ten nominees can compete in each Gotham Awards acting category. The winners are decided upon by committees of film critics and industry members. The 2021 Gotham Awards ceremony will introduce the winners on Monday, November 29, at Cipriani Wall Street, New York City.
Gotham Awards Top Nominees for Each Category
David Lowery stars in “The Green Knight” – is a 14th-century adaptation of a poem about an Arthurian knight who embodies weakness and strength that will take the viewers on a mythical quest, and leads to a tantalizing and satisfying finale.
“The Lost Daughter” (Netflix) – is a psychological film drama written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal about a woman obsessed with another woman and her daughter that prompted memories of her early motherhood.
Reed Birney – Outstanding Supporting Performance in “Mass” (Bleecker Street) – is a story about two parents who agreed to talk privately to move forward after an unspeakable tragedy. The story examines their journey of anger, grief, and acceptance.
Breakthrough Performer – Emilia Jones in “CODA” (Apple) – written and directed by Sian Heder is an authentic story that centers on a teenage girl who is the only hearing member of a culturally deaf family learning to communicate.
Jennifer Coolidge – Outstanding Performance in a New Series in “The White Lotus” (HBO Max/HBO) – is a brilliant and biting relationship and character story, and a social satire about inequality.
Written by Janet Grace Ortigas
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
IndieWire: Gotham Awards 2021 Nominations: ‘Pig,’ ‘Green Knight,’ ‘Passing’ Compete for Best Feature; by Zack Sharf
Entertainment Weekly: Game ignite awards season with Gotham Awards nominations; by Joey Nolfi
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Chris Turner’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Steven Leung’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
