The 23rd Gotham Independent Film Awards took place and as always, they were predictably bizarre with some highlighted moments. There was a cringe-worthy host with Nick Kroll who took any and every chance to make either a uncomfortable or just down right unfunny joke. There was a touching tribute to the recently passed James Ganolfini with a speech by Steve Buscemi that only reinforced the talent we lost.
Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy took the stage to present a spotlight for their recent co-collaborator director Richard Linklater who’s directed the two in Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight, masterpieces of their sub genre and some of the best works in character studies. Linklater than took the stage and cited directors such as Jim Jarmusch and the Coen Brothers and influences on his work.
Lee Daniels honored actor Forest Whitaker as well for his filmography-speaking highly of his acting and family values and then telling the audience to shut up so that they can hear his speech-Lee Daniels is nothing if not in your face about what he’s feeling.
The awards were a pleasant type of unpredictable with Brie Larson pulling an “upset” (only if you haven’t seen Short Term 12) over Cate Blanchett’s performance in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. This is sadly one of the few instances where she’ll receive any form of awards recognition this season for the stunning work she did in Short Term 12 and considering how it looks like -months ahead- it will be a race between Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett for the Best Actress Oscar statue, it’s nice to see fresh faces get applauded for their talent. Matthew McConauhey’s win for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club may not set the path for how this awards season is going to go (as many predict a head to head race between him and Chiwetel Ejiofor) but it’s telling that the Gotham Awards are already in the mind space of spreading the wealth. It will be interesting in the upcoming months to see where the Best Actor race takes us considering it’s possibly one of the most competitively stacked categories in recent years.
Below are all of the nominations along with the winners who are bolded. What were the surprises and upsets to you? Do you think it’s an accurate prelude to the upcoming awards season.
Best Feature 
12 Years a Slave
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Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
Before Midnight
Inside Llewyn Davis
Upstream Color
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Best Documentary
The Act of Killing
The Crash Reel
First Cousin Once Removed
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Let the Fire Burn
Our Nixon
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award 
Ryan Coogler- Fruitvale Station
Adam Leon- Gimme the Loot
Alexandre Moors- Blue Caprice
Stacie Passon – Concussion
Amy Semimetz – Sun Don’t Shine
Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor- 12 Years a Slave
Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis
Matthew McConaughey- Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford – All is Lost
Isaiah Washington – Blue Caprice
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Scarlett Johansson – Don Jon
Brie Larson – Short Term 12
Amy Seimetz – Upstream Color
Shailene Woodley – The Spectacular Now
Breakthrough Actor
Dane DeHaan – Kill Your Darlings
Kathryn Hahn – Afternoon Delight
Michael B. Jordan – Fruitvale Station
Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Robin Weigert – Concussion
Spotlight on Women Filmmakers ‘Live the Dream’ Grant 
Afia Nathaniel – Dukhthar
Gita Pullapilly – Beneath the Harvest Sky
Deb Shoval – AWOL
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