The first movie awards show of the season also tends to be one of the most interesting, as every year the Gotham Independent Film Awards showcase some of the most fascinating and under appreciated indie films released-- including many that have absolutely zero shot at Oscar attention. They've kept up that tradition this year, announcing a slate of nominees that includes some indies relased by heavy-hitter distributors-- Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom-- as well as some tiny gems that may now be getting some much-needed attention.
The top category, Best Feature, includes Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom and Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, along with Richard Linklater's black comedy Bernie, Julia Loktev's relationship drama The Loneliest Planet, and the Sundance Film Festival prize-winning drama MIddle of Nowhere from director Ava DuVernay. Beasts of the Southern Wild, the Fox Searchlight release that was a modest indie success this summer, scored two nominations, for Breakthrough Director (Benh Zeitlin) and Breakthrough Actor (Quvenzhane Wallis).
There are plenty of other great picks in the full list of nominations, including an ensemble nod for the terrific Lynn Shelton film Your Sister's Sister, and the inclusion of Melanie Lynskey as Breakthrough Actor in Hello I Must Be Going. Lynskey herself must think the nomination is a little funny, as she's been acting consistently since starring opposite Kate Winslet in Heavenly Creatures in 1994, but she's great in Hello I Must Be Going, and if this nomination helps more people see that movie, then all the better.
The full list of Gotham Award nominees is below. Prizes will be handed out at the awards ceremony held November 26 in New York.
BEST FEATURE
Bernie
Richard Linklater, director; Richard Linklater, Ginger Sledge, Celine Rattray, Martin Shafer, Liz Glotzer, Matt Williams, David McFadzean, Judd Payne, Dete Meserve, producers (Millennium Entertainment)
The Loneliest Planet
Julia Loktev, director; Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Helge Albers, Marie Therese Guirgis, producers (Sundance Selects)
The Master
Paul Thomas Anderson, director; Joanne Sellar, Daniel Lupi, Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison, producers (The Weinstein Company)
Middle of Nowhere
Ava DuVernay, director; Howard Barish, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes, producers (AFFRM and Participant Media)
Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson, director; Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson, producers (Focus Features)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Detropia
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, directors; Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, Craig Atkinson, producers (Loki Films)
How to Survive a Plague
David France, director; Howard Gertler, David France, producers (Sundance Selects)
Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present
Matthew Akers, director; Jeff Dupre, Maro Chermayeff, producers (HBO Documentary Films and Music Box Films)
Room 237
Rodney Ascher, director; Tim Kirk, producer (IFC Midnight)
The Waiting Room
Peter Nicks, director; Peter Nicks, Linda Davis, William B. Hirsch, producers (International Film Circuit)
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Bernie
Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey (Millennium Entertainment)
Moonrise Kingdom
Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Jason Schwartzman, Bob Balaban (Focus Features)
Safety Not Guaranteed
Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni, Jenica Bergere, Kristen Bell, Jeff Garlin, Mary Lynn Rajskub (Film District)
Silver Linings Playbook
Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Anupam Kher (The Weinstein Company)
Your Sister’s Sister
Emily Blunt, Rosemarie Dewitt, Mark Duplass (IFC Films)
BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR
Zal Batmanglij for Sound of My Voice (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky for Francine (Factory 25 and The Film Sales Company)
Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin for Now, Forager (Argot Pictures)
Antonio Méndez Esparza for Aquí y Allá (Here and There) (Torch Films)
Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Breakthrough Actor
Mike Birbiglia in Sleepwalk with Me (IFC Films)
Emayatzy Corinealdi in Middle of Nowhere (AFFRM and Participant Media)
Thure Lindhardt in Keep the Lights On (Music Box Films)
Melanie Lynskey in Hello, I Must Be Going (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Quvenzhané Wallis in Beasts of the Southern Wild (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You
Kid-Thing. David Zellner, director; Nathan Zellner, Producer
An Oversimplification of Her Beauty. Terence Nance, director; Terence Nance, Andrew Corkin, James Bartlett, producers
Red Flag. Alex Karpovsky, director; Alex Karpovsky, Michael Bowes, producers
Sun Don’t Shine. Amy Seimetz, director; Kim Sherman, Amy Seimetz, producers
Tiger Tail in Blue. Frank V. Ross, director; Adam Donaghey, Drew Durepos, producers
