The 35th annual Gotham Awards, a glittering launchpad for the film industry's awards season, saw major victories for both Hollywood heavyweight Paul Thomas Anderson and celebrated dissident Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi on Monday night.
A Night of Surprises and Shifting Tides
Held at Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan, the black-tie ceremony, organised by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, is renowned for spotlighting independent cinema. However, this year's top prize marked a significant departure. Paul Thomas Anderson's sweeping father-daughter drama "One Battle After Another" was crowned best feature film, a notable win for a major studio production reported to have cost at least $130 million to make.
This contrasts sharply with previous winners like "Past Lives" and "Everything Everywhere All at Once". The shift was humourously noted by presenter Adam Sandler, who joked about the awards' earlier focus on low-budget projects. The change follows the Gothams' decision in 2023 to remove its $35 million budget cap for eligibility.
"I didn't expect this, actually," admitted Anderson upon accepting the award. "I started to think I didn't know what was going on." His film, a tale of multigenerational protest, is now widely viewed as the front-runner for the Best Picture Oscar at March's Academy Awards.
Triple Triumph for Jafar Panahi Amid Personal Turmoil
The evening's other dominant force was Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who won three awards for his revenge drama "It Was Just an Accident". The film earned him the trophies for best director, best original screenplay, and best international film.
Panahi's victory was bittersweet. Earlier on Monday, his attorney confirmed the director had been sentenced to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban by Iranian authorities. Panahi, who has faced repeated persecution for his work, was only able to make his latest film after being released from jail following a hunger strike. His Cannes Palme d'Or winner in May was made despite a long-standing ban on filmmaking and travel.
Accepting the screenplay award, Panahi dedicated the honour "to independent filmmakers in Iran and around the world... who keep the camera rolling in silence without support and, at times, risking everything they have, only with their faith in truth and humanity."
Acting Awards and Celebrity Tributes
In keeping with the Gothams' quirky reputation, where small juries often yield unexpected results, both of the night's acting winners were absent. Best lead performance went to Sopé Dìrísù for the British-Nigerian drama "My Father's Shadow", with his award accepted by the film's director, Akinola Davies Jr., who also won the breakthrough director prize.
Best supporting performance was awarded to Wunmi Mosaku for her role in "Sinners", with director Ryan Coogler collecting the trophy on her behalf. The ceremony also featured a series of tribute awards presented to major Oscar contenders and stars, including Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein," Tessa Thompson, and Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson of "Song Sung Blue."
Other winners included Harry Lighton for adapted screenplay ("Pillion"), Abou Sangaré for breakthrough performer ("Souleymane's Story"), and Julia Loktev's "My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 — Last Air in Moscow" for best documentary. The event, as Hugh Jackman quipped, served as a unifying start to the competitive season ahead, reminding everyone of the shared celebration of cinema.
