Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach’s LA has nothing on New York except space divorce story, fittingly dominated the Gotham Awards last night. It won every award it was nominated for - feature, screenplay, actor - plus the audience award. Awkwafina won best actress for The Farewell over Indie Spirit nominees Alfre Woodard, Mary Kay Place and Elisabeth Moss. She is not nominated for the LA counterpart to the Gothams. We doubt they’ll fall for Baumbach as hard as the New Yorkers did. They’ve seen the film and know which city he prefers.
Tributes were given to Laura Dern, Sam Rockwell, Ava DuVernay and producer Glen Basner. Baumbach and his partner Greta Gerwig came out in Raf Simmons designed sweaters adorned with Dern pictures to present her award.
Here is the evening’s full list of winners...
BEST FEATURE
The Farewell
Hustlers
Marriage Story
Uncut Gems
Waves
Last Year’s Winner: The Rider
Spotlight (2015) and Moonlight (2016) have won this award so this could bode well for Marriage Story.
BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Factory
Apollo 11
The Edge of Democracy
Midnight Traveler
One Child Nation
Last Year’s Winner: Hale County This Morning, This Evening
BEST ACTOR
Willem Dafoe The Lighthouse
Adam Driver Marriage Story
Aldis Hodge Clemency
André Holland High Flying Bird
Adam Sandler Uncut Gems
Last Year’s Winner: Ethan Hawke for First Reformed
Still can’t believe Hawke didn’t ultimately get that Oscar nomination.
BEST ACTRESS
Awkwafina The Farewell
Elisabeth Moss Her Smell
Mary Kay Place Diane
Florence Pugh Midsommar
Alfre Woodard Clemency
Last Year’s Winner: Toni Colette, Hereditary
BEST SCREENPLAY
The Farewell Lulu Wang
High Flying Bird Tarell Alvin McCraney
The Last Black Man in San Francisco Jimmie Fails, Joe Talbot, Rob Richert
Marriage Story Noah Baumbach
Midsommar Ari Aster
Last Year’s Winner: Paul Schrader, First Reformed
Audience Award: Marriage Story
Last Year’s Winner: Won't You Be My Neighbor?
BINGHAM RAY BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR AWARD
Laure De Clermont-Tonnerre The Mustang
Kent Jones Diane
Joe Talbot The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Olivia Wilde Booksmart
Phillip Youmans Burning Cane
Last Year’s Winner: Bo Burnham for Eighth Grade
This was a bit surprising. The Mustang is also nominated for this award at the Indie Spirits as well as for Matthias Schoenaerts’ performance. It's a nice win for a film that opened way back in March.
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR
Julia Fox Uncut Gems
Aisling Franciosi The Nightingale
Chris Galust Give Me Liberty
Noah Jupe Honey Boy
Jonathan Majors The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Taylor Russell Waves
Last Year’s Winner: Elsie Fisher for Eighth Grade
Amy Adams won this award for Junebug (2005). So has Michael B Jordan, Tessa Thompson and Timothee Chalamet. Let’s hope Russell also breaks out as she is wonderful in Waves.
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – LONG FORM
Chernobyl
David Makes Man
My Brilliant Friend
Unbelievable
When They See Us
Last Year’s Winner: Killing Eve
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – SHORT FORM
PEN15
Ramy
Russian Doll
Last Year’s Winner: 195 Lewis