NEW YORK — Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” was named best feature film, and the dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi took home three awards at the 35th annual Gotham Awards. The event, held on Monday, served as a starry kickoff to the film industry’s awards season.
The Gothams, presented by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, are not typically seen as an indicator of Oscar success. However, the black-tie ceremony, held at Cipriani Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, is known for celebrating smaller films while also honoring Oscar hopefuls with tribute awards.
This year marked a shift for the event, as “One Battle After Another,” a studio release with a production budget of at least $130 million, became the first such film to win the top prize. Previous winners have included independent films like “Past Lives,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and the surprise 2024 winner, “A Different Man.”
Adam Sandler joked about the evolution of the awards during his tribute to Noah Baumbach. “I remember when the Gotham Awards were for low-budget movies,” he said. “For ‘The Squid and the Whale,’ they paid Jeff Daniels in potato skins.”
In 2023, the Gotham Awards removed their $35 million budget cap for films, allowing larger productions to compete. This year, “One Battle After Another,” a father-daughter story centered around multigenerational protest, is widely considered the best-picture front-runner and the movie to beat at the Academy Awards.
“I didn’t expect this, actually,” said Anderson after accepting the award. “I started to think I didn’t know what was going on.” He added, “Thank you very much, everybody. Let’s go home or let’s go to a bar somewhere or something.”
While the Gothams help kick off the awards season, they are known for being more quirky than other major ceremonies. Small juries select nominees and winners, often leading to unexpected results. Both of the acting winners on Monday were not present at the event.
Best lead performance went to Sopé Dìrísù 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 Skarsgård (“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 Sangaré (“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.”
