It's never too early to start your Christmas shopping -- or to start the Hollywood awards season!
The 21st Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards were held tonight in New York City at the Cipriani Wall Street. Oliver Platt and Edie Falco hosted the ceremony that celebrates independent film and marks the beginning of the movie awards season that will continue going strong through the Oscars at the end of February.
In a surprise tie, "Beginners," which stars Ewan McGregor as a young man thrown for a loop when his terminally ill father (Christopher Plummer) reveals he's gay, and Terrence Malick's experimental fantasia, "The Tree of Life," both took home the Best Feature award. "Beginners" also won Best Ensemble for the work of a cast that also includes Melanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox and Mary Page Keller.
Dee Rees took home the Breakthrough Director award for her work on "Pariah," beating some heavy competition that included Sean Durkin ("Martha Marcy May Marlene") and Mike Cahill ("Another Earth"). Likewise, Felicity Jones won Breakthrough Actor for her work as a British student struggling with a long-distance relationship in "Like Crazy" against some considerable competitors such as Elizabeth Olsen ("Martha Marcy May Marlene") and Shailene Woodley ("The Descendants").
Speaking of "The Descendants," Alexander Payne's acclaimed drama starring George Clooney was nominated in three categories but didn't take home one award -- does this not bode well for its Oscar chances? Or is it just that if your movie stars George Clooney, it's really not very "independent?"
Besides the awards listed below, career tributes were given to Charlize Theron, Gary Oldman and director David Cronenberg.
BEST FEATURE:
"Beginners" (TIE with "The Tree of Life")
"The Descendants"
"Meek's Cutoff"
"Take Shelter"
"The Tree of Life" (TIE with "Beginners")
BEST DOCUMENTARY:
"Better This World"
"Bill Cunningham New York"
"Hell and Back Again"
"The Interrupters"
"The Woodmans"
BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR:
Mike Cahill, "Another Earth"
Sean Durkin, "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Vera Farmiga, "Higher Ground"
Evan Glodell, "Bellflower"
Dee Rees, "Pariah"
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR:
Felicity Jones, "Like Crazy"
Elizabeth Olsen, "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Harmony Santana,"Gun Hill Road"
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"
Jacob Wysocki, "Terri"
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE:
"Beginners"
"The Descendants"
"Margin Call"
"Martha Marcy May Marlene"
"Take Shelter"
BEST FILM NOT PLAYING AT A THEATER NEAR YOU:
"Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same"
"Green"
"The Redemption of General Butt Naked"
"Scenes of a Crime"
"Without"
AUDIENCE AWARD:
"Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey"
"Buck"
"The First Grader"
"Girlfriend"
Wild Horse, Wild Ride"
