Paul Thomas Anderson’s "One Battle After Another” was crowned best feature film and the dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi won three awards Monday at the 35th annual Gotham Awards, a starry kickoff to the film industry’s awards season.
The Gothams, presented by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, aren’t considered an Oscar bellwether. But the black-tie affair, held at Cipriani Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, is known for celebrating smaller films while also dishing out generous helpings of tribute awards to Oscar hopefuls.
That made "One Battle After Another,” a studio release that cost at least $130 million to make, unlike any previous winner at the Gothams. Past winners include indies like "Past Lives,” "Everything Everywhere All at Once” and the surprise 2024 winner, "A Different Man.”
"I remember when the Gotham Awards were for low-budget movies,” joked Adam Sandler, presenting a tribute to Noah Baumbach. "For ‘The Squid and the Whale,’ they paid Jeff Daniels in potato skins.”
But in 2023, the Gotham Awards dispensed with their $35 million budget cap for films. And this year, "One Battle After Another,” a father-daughter tale of multigenerational protest, is widely seen as the best-picture front-runner and the movie to beat at March’s Academy Awards.
"I didn’t expect this, actually,” said Anderson, accepting the award. "I started to think I didn’t know what was going on.”
"Thank you very much, everybody,” added Anderson. "Let’s go home or let’s go to a bar somewhere or something.”
While the Gothams help the industry get into the swing of awards season, they're quirkier than bigger-name ceremonies. Small juries select nominees and winners, which often leads to unexpected results. Both of the acting winners on Monday weren’t even in attendance.
Best lead performance went to Sope Dirisu for the British-Nigerian drama "My Father’s Shadow.” His award was accepted by the film’s director, Akinola Davies Jr., who also won for breakthrough director. Other nominees in the category included Jessie Buckley ("Hamnet”), Jennifer Lawrence ("Die My Love”) and Ethan Hawke ("Blue Moon”).
Best supporting performance went to Wunmi Mosaku of "Sinners,” a victory that came over nominees such as Teyana Taylor ("One Battle After Another”), Stellan Skarsgard ("Sentimental Value”) and Jacob Elordi ("Frankenstein”). "Sinners” director Ryan Coogler accepted her award.
Panahi won three awards for his revenge drama "It Was Just an Accident:” best director, best original screenplay and best international film. Earlier Monday, Panahi’s attorney, Mostafa Nili, said the director had been sentenced to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban.
Panahi was jailed for months shortly before making "It Was Just an Accident” and only released after going on a hunger strike. In 2010, he was barred from filmmaking or traveling out of Iran. Yet he continued to make films without the government's permission. Since 2023, and until Monday's ruling, Panahi had been permitted to leave Iran. In May, his film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
"I would like to dedicate the honor of this award to independent filmmakers in Iran and around the world,” said Panahi accepting the screenplay award. "Filmmakers who keep the camera rolling in silence without support and, at times, risking everything they have, only with their faith in truth and humanity.”
Other winners Monday included Harry Lighton ("Pillion”) for adapted screenplay; Abou Sangare ("Souleymane’s Story”) for breakthrough performer; and Julia Loktev’s "My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 - Last Air in Moscow” for best documentary.
Among the tribute honorees were: Guillermo del Toro’s "Frankenstein,” Scott Cooper’s "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”; "Hedda” star Tessa Thompson; "Jay Kelly” director Noah Baumbach; the cast of "Sinners”; Luca Guadagnino and Julia Roberts of "After the Hunt”; and "Song Sung Blue” stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.
"This is a time for all of us to remember what unites us and what brings us together,” said Jackman. "And that is awards season, everybody.”
