Someone better save some tables at the 2019 Gotham Awards for A24 because the independent distributor dominated the nominations earning 14 film nominations and 15 overall. A24 films’ “The Farewell,” “Uncut Gems” and “Waves” all landed Best Feature nominations and “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Midsommar” and “The Lighthouse” earned key nominations. The other two Best Feature nominees are Netflix’s “Marriage Story” and, in a slight surprise, STX Entertainment’s “Hustlers.”
READ MORE: “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” is a haunting triumph [Review]
For those wondering why “Parasite” or other acclaimed international films are not part of the mix, nominees must be primarily funded in the United States to qualify for the Gotham Awards. There is also a budget limitation but they are not a sticklers about it like the Independent Spirit Awards. In fact, the budget language in the submissoin process might be described as “suspicious.” So, be it.
On the television side, the long form Breakthrough Series category will once again pit “Chernobyl” against “When They See Us” along with nominees “David Makes Man,” “My Brilliant Friend” and “Unbelievable.” On the Breakthrough Series short form side, “Russian Doll,” “PEN15,” “Ramy,” “Tuca & Berte” and “Undone” all gave streaming competitors Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Studios with something to celebrate.
Surprise nominations included Breakthrough Director and Best Actress (Mary Kay Place) for IFC Films little seen “Diane” and only Willem Dafoe being nominated in the Best Actor category for “The Lighthouse.” You could also argue “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Booksmart” and “The Lighthouse” were worthy of Best Feature nominations.
The IFP will hand out the Gotham Awards on December 2nd. Tributes will also be handed out to Laura Dern, Sam Rockwell, Ava DuVernay and Glen Basner.
A full list of this year’s nominees are as follows:
BEST FEATURE
The Farewell
Lulu Wang, director; Daniele Melia, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz, Jane Zheng, Lulu Wang, Anita Gou, producers (A24)
Hustlers
Lorene Scafaria, director; Jessica Elbaum, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Jennifer Lopez, Benny Medina, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, producers (STXfilms)
Marriage Story
Noah Baumbach, director; Noah Baumbach, David Heyman, producers (Netflix)
Uncut Gems
Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie, directors; Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Sebastian Bear McClard, producers (A24)
Waves
Trey Edward Shults, director; James Wilson, Kevin Turen, Trey Edward Shults, producers (A24)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Factory
Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, directors; Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, Jeff Reichert, Julie Parker Benello, producers (Netflix)
Apollo 11
Todd Douglas Miller, director; Todd Douglas Miller, Thomas Baxley Petersen, Evan Krauss, producers (NEON and CNN Films)
The Edge of Democracy
Petra Costa, director; Petra Costa, Tiago Pavan, Joanna Natasegara, Shane Boris, producers (Netflix)
Midnight Traveler
Hassan Fazili, director; Emelie Mahdavian, Su Kim, producers (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
One Child Nation
Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang, directors; Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang, Christoph Jörg, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn, producers (Amazon Studios)
BINGHAM RAY BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR AWARD
Laure De Clermont-Tonnerre for The Mustang (Focus Features)
Kent Jones for Diane (IFC Films)
Joe Talbot for The Last Black Man in San Francisco (A24)
Olivia Wilde for Booksmart (United Artists Releasing)
Phillip Youmans for Burning Cane (ARRAY Releasing)
BEST SCREENPLAY
The Farewell, Lulu Wang (A24)
High Flying Bird, Tarell Alvin McCraney (Netflix)
The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Jimmie Fails, Joe Talbot, Rob Richert (A24)
Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach (Netflix)
Midsommar, Ari Aster (A24)
BEST ACTOR
Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse (A24)
Adam Driver in Marriage Story (Netflix)
Aldis Hodge in Clemency (NEON)
André Holland in High Flying Bird (Netflix)
Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems (A24)
BEST ACTRESS
Awkwafina in The Farewell (A24)
Elisabeth Moss in Her Smell (Gunpowder & Sky)
Mary Kay Place in Diane (IFC Films)
Florence Pugh in Midsommar (A24)
Alfre Woodard in Clemency (NEON)
BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR
Julia Fox in Uncut Gems (A24)
Aisling Franciosi in The Nightingale (IFC Films)
Chris Galust in Give Me Liberty (Music Box Films)
Noah Jupe in Honey Boy (Amazon Studios)
Jonathan Majors in The Last Black Man in San Francisco (A24)
Taylor Russell in Waves (A24)
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – LONG FORMAT (over 40 minutes)
Chernobyl, Craig Mazin, creator; Craig Mazin, Carolyn Strauss, Jane Featherstone, executive producers (HBO)
David Makes Man, Tarell Alvin McCraney, creator; Mike Kelley, Melissa Loy, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Denitria Harris-Lawrence, Michael B. Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, executive producers (OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network)
My Brilliant Friend, Saverio Costanzo, creator; Domenico Procacci, Mario Gianani, Guido De Laurentiis, Elena Recchia, Jennifer Schuur, Paolo Sorrentino, executive producers (HBO)
Unbelievable, Susannah Grant, Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, Lisa Cholodenko, Ayelet Waldman & Michael Chabon, Katie Couric, Richard Tofel, Neil Barsky, Robyn Semien, Marie, executive producers (Netflix)
When They See Us, Ava DuVernay, creator; Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, Berry Welsh, Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay, executive producers (Netflix)
BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – SHORT FORMAT (under 40 minutes)
PEN15, Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Sam Zvibleman, creators; Anna Konkle, Sam Zvibleman, Debbie Liebling, Gabe Liedman, Marc Provissiero, Brooke Pobjoy, Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer, Becky Sloviter, Shelley Zimmerman, Brin Lukens, Jordan Levin, executive producers (Hulu)
Ramy, Ramy Youssef, Ari Katcher, Ryan Welch, creators; Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Ravi Nandan, Bridget Bedard, Ari Katcher, Ryan Welch, executive producers (Hulu)
Russian Doll, Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland, Amy Poehler, creators; Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland, Amy Poehler, Dave Becky, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, Allison Silverman, executive producers (Netflix)
Tuca & Bertie, Lisa Hanawalt, creator; Lisa Hanawalt, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Noel Bright, Steven A. Cohen, Tiffany Haddish, Ali Wong, executive producers (Netflix)
Undone, Kate Purdy, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creators; Kate Purdy, Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Noel Bright, Steven A. Cohen, Tommy Pallotta, executive producers (Amazon Prime Video)
Committees made up of film and television critics determined this year’s winners. The Playlist’s own Jessica Kiang participated on the nominating committee for Best Actor and Best Actress.