“A Different Man” and “Sing Sing” Lead the Night

The 34th Annual Gotham Awards (2024) delivered an evening filled with unexpected wins, powerful performances and unforgettable moments, showcasing the best in independent cinema. Held Monday at the iconic Cipriani Wall Street in New York, the ceremony highlighted films and talent that have shaped the current awards season landscape, but perhaps none are more surprising than A different man.

A different mana dark, independent comedy, starring Sebastian Stan in a role that challenges traditional notions of beauty and identity, took home the night’s biggest honor: best feature film, although it was considered like an outsider. Directed by Aaron Schimberg, the film explores themes of identity and transformation, with Stan playing an actor with neurofibromatosis who undergoes experimental surgery to remove facial tumors, only to find himself at odds with another man who accepts his unconventional appearance with confidence.

However A different man was considered a lesser-known contender in the Best Feature Film category, but its win speaks to the unpredictability of awards season and the ability of small films to make a lasting impact. The victory was particularly surprising given widespread expectations that Anorathe Palme d’Or-winning drama, would be the favorite. Even Schimberg, who admitted to not having prepared an acceptance speech for fear of ruining the moment, seemed caught off guard by the victory, adding an element of surprise that made the evening even more exciting.

While A different manWhile the event’s success might boost the chances of its stars, Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson (who also delivered a powerful performance), the evening’s honors didn’t stop there. Sing Singa gripping prison drama that explores themes of justice and redemption, became a major force at the ceremony, sweeping the acting categories with Colman Domingo winning Best Lead Performance and Clarence Maclin winning Best Lead Performance. best performance in a supporting role.

Domingo, who captivated audiences with his roles in The color purple And Rustinused his acceptance speech to encourage his fellow filmmakers and artists to continue doing “work that really matters” and shining a light in dark times. Maclin, in an equally heartfelt moment, reminded the crowd of the power of storytelling to create real-world change.

Tributes to some of Hollywood’s brightest stars and most influential filmmakers added another layer of excitement to the evening. Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet received well-deserved honors for their performances in Challengers And A complete strangerwhile visionary director Denis Villeneuve has been praised for his work on Dune: part two.

Additionally, Angelina Jolie, who starred in Marriedwas awarded a Performer Tribute, and James Mangold, who directed A complete strangerreceived a visionary tribute for his pioneering work in the industry. The evening also saw the cast of Sing Sing receive the Social Justice Tribute, reinforcing the film’s role as a powerful force for change and advocacy in Hollywood.

The Gotham Awards have long been a pivotal moment in awards season, especially for independent films that may not have the same marketing budgets or star power as their studio counterparts, but are nonetheless worthy of recognition. be recognized for their unique contributions to cinema. This year’s awards were no different, as the ceremony continued to support films that would otherwise go unnoticed.

As the Gotham Film & Media Institute lifted its $35 million budget cap on eligible films for the second year in a row, it allowed a more diverse range of projects, such as Sing Sing And A different manto have their moment in the spotlight. This is particularly notable given the prestigious company these films now occupy, following in the footsteps of past winners like Moonlight, searchlight, And Everything everywhere at the same time– all of which were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

As the 2024 awards season gathers momentum, the Gotham Awards stand out as more than just a stepping stone to the Oscars: they celebrate bold, independent storytelling. With A different man And Sing Sing making headlines, here’s the full list of this year’s Gotham Awards winners!

Best functionality

• “Anora” (Neon)
• “Little Girl” (A24)
• “Challengers” (Amazon MGM Studios)
• “A Different Man” (A24) – WINNER
• “Nickel Boys” (Amazon MGM Studios)

Exceptional lead performance

• Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl” (Roadside Attractions)
• Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist” (A24)
• Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing” (A24) – WINNER
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste, “Hard Truths” (rue Bleecker)
• Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl” (A24)
• Keith Kupferer, “Ghostlight” (IFC Films)
• Mikey Madison, “Anora” (Neon)
• Demi Moore, “The Substance” (Mubi)
• Saoirse Ronan, “The Outrun” (Sony Pictures Classics)
• Justice Smith, “I Saw the Television Shine” (A24)

Outstanding supporting performance

• Yura Borissov, “Anora” (Neon)
• Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain” (Searchlight Pictures)
• Danielle Deadwyler, “The Piano Lesson” (Netflix)
• Brigette Lundy-Paine, “I saw the TV glow” (A24)
• Natasha Lyonne, “Her Three Daughters” (Netflix)
• Clarence Maclin, “Sing Sing” (A24) — WINNER
• Katy O’Brian, “Love Lies in Bleeding” (A24)
• Guy Pearce, “The Brutalist” (A24)
• Adam Pearson, “A Different Man” (A24)
• Brian Tyree Henry, “The Fire Within” (Amazon MGM Studios)

Best Director

• Payal Kapadia, “Everything we imagine as light” (Sideshow and Janus Films)
• Sean Baker, “Anora” (Neon)
• Guan Hu, “Black Dog” (The Forge)
• Jane Schoenbrun, “I saw the television glow” (A24)
• RaMell Ross, “Nickel Boys” (Amazon MGM Studios) — WINNER

Best International Feature Film

• “Everything we imagine as light” (Sideshow and Janus Films) — WINNER
• “Green Border” (Kino Lorber)
• “Hard Truths” (Bleecker Street)
• “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” (Kino Lorber)
• “Vermiglio” (Sideshow and Janus Films)

Best Documentary Feature

• “Dahomey” (Mubi)
• “Intercepted” (Grasshopper Film)
• “No other land” (Antipode Films) — WINNER
• “Soundtrack to a Coup” (Kino Lorber)
• “Candy Cane” (National Geographic Documentary Films)
• “Union” (self-distributed)

Best screenplay

• “Between the Temples” (Sony Pictures Classics) – Nathan Silver, C. Mason Wells
• “Evil Does Not Exist” (Sideshow and Janus Films) — Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
• “Woman” (Utopia) – Sam H. Freeman, Ng Choon Ping
• “His Three Daughters” (Netflix) – Azazel Jacobs — WINNER
• “Planet Janet” (A24) — Annie Baker

Breakthrough Director

• Shuchi Talati, “Girls Will Be Girls” (Juno Films, Inc)
• India Donaldson, “Good One” (Metrograph Pictures)
• Alessandra Lacorazza, “In the Summers” (Music Box Films)
• Vera Drew, “The People’s Joker” (Altered Innocence) – WINNER
• Mahdi Fleifel, “Towards an Unknown Land” (Watermelon Pictures)

Revolutionary artist

• Lily Collias, “the maid” (Metrograph Pictures)
• Ryan Destiny, “The Fire Within” (Amazon MGM Studios)
• Maisy Stella, “My Old Ass” (Amazon MGM Studios)
• Izaac Wang, “Dìdi” (Focus Features)
• Brandon Wilson, “Nickel Boys” (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios) — WINNER

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