Debra Granik‘s “Winter’s Bone” is off to a strong awards season start, picking up two awards at last night Gotham Awards in New York City hosted by Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson.
The film walked away with two awards, taking home Best Feature (beating out a strong list of contenders including “Black Swan,” “Blue Valentine,” “The Kids Are All Right” and “Let Me In“) and Best Ensemble Performance (the film features great supporting work by John Hawkes and Garret Dillahunt among others). However, the biggest surprise of the night was that the hotly buzzed Jennifer Lawrence lost out on the Breakthrough Actor award to Ronald Bronstein who won for “Daddy Longlegs.” Other winners of note include Kevin Asch who now has a Breakthrough Director trophy his mantle for his work on “Holly Rollers,” while the school system doc “Waiting For ‘Superman‘” won the Festival Genius Audience Award.
We couldn’t be more pleased for “Winter’s Bone” win and we hope this momentum helps carry it through the rest of the awards season. It’s a stunner of a drama anchored by a steely turn by Jennifer Lawrence and if you haven’t seen get yourself to a video store or Netflix immediately. Full list of winners after the jump.
Best Feature
Winter’s Bone
Best Documentary
The Oath, directed by Laura Poitras
Best Ensemble Performance
Winter’s Bone
Breakthrough Director
Kevin Asch, Holy Rollers
Breakthrough Actor
Ronald Bronstein, Daddy Longlegs
Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You
Littlerock, directed by Mike Ott
Festival Genius Audience Award
Waiting For ‘Superman’, directed by Davis Guggenheim