The most exciting wild card at both the East Coast Gotham Awards and the West Coast Spirit Awards is Sean Baker's raucous and hugely entertaining comedy Tangerine (my favorite film from Sundance this year) about two trans hookers sharing a wild 24 hours in Los Angeles at Christmas time. Though most of the big movie awards prefer studio filmmaking or "prestige" indies, we can all cross our fingers that Tangerine, which is truly independent in spirit and filmmaking, has one mainstream nomination in its future: Best Picture, Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes. It would be richly deserved.
But if that doesn't come to pass at least it was well loved at the Gothams (two awards, bested only by Spotlight) and with Spirit Nominations. Though Carol was shut out, Gotham Awards don't have that many categories to begin with and Todd Haynes was honored so we'll forgive them.
Feature Spotlight
Audience Award Tangerine
Actress Bel Powley in Diary of a Teenage Girl
Actor Paul Dano in Love and Mercy
Documentary The Look of Silence
Screenplay Spotlight written by Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
Breakthrough Awards
Breakthrough Actor Mya Taylor in Tangerine
Breakthrough Director Jonas Carpigano for Mediterranea
Breakthrough Series - Long Form Mr Robot
Breakthrough Series - Short Form Shugs & Fats
Special Prizes
The First Gotham Appreciation Award Ellen Cotter - Angelika Film Center Theaters
Special Jury Award – Ensemble Spotlight's Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d’Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup
Tributes to: Helen Mirren, Todd Haynes, Robert Redford