In the first key nominations announcement of the film awards season, the Independent Filmmaker Project’s 28th Gotham Awards have given a boost to Yorgos Lanthimos’ yet-to-open festival sensation The Favourite and Paul Schrader’s acclaimed summer release First Reformed.
Both films picked up three mentions Thursday, including in the top feature category, where they are joined by Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk, Josephine Decker’s Madeline’s Madeline and Chloe Zhao’s The Rider.
Of those, The Favourite and Beale Street are both considered major contenders, while First Reformed could provide the first Oscar nod for writer-director Schrader.
This year, there are a surprising number of studio films, typically ineligible for the indie-minded Gothams, looking to make competitive awards runs, including Black Panther, Green Book, First Man, A Star Is Born and Widows.
As well, Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, arguably the most buzzed-about title of the fall festival season, and Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, which caused a stir at Cannes and was a late summer box-office success, were eligible but not recognised in the top category.
Nevertheless, Adam Driver’s work in Lee’s picture drew him an actor nomination alongside Ben Foster in Leave No Trace, Richard E. Grant in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Ethan Hawke in First Reformed and Lakeith Stanfield in Sorry to Bother You.
Actress nods go to Glenn Close in The Wife, Toni Collette in Hereditary, Kathryn Hahn in Private Life, Regina Hall in Support the Girls and Michelle Pfeiffer in Where Is Kyra?
The nominating committee voted to give a special jury award to Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz for their ensemble performance in The Favourite.
The Gothams also give two awards for TV. The long-form breakthrough series nominees are Alias Grace, Big Mouth, The End of the World, Killing Eve, Pose and Sharp Objects.
