What are the Gotham Awards?
In 1991, the Independent Feature Project (IFP) (now The Gotham Film & Media Institute, or simply “The Gotham”) created The Gotham Awards to honor independent American films, particularly those from the Northeastern United States.
Today, these annual awards have evolved to recognize a broader range of independent film and media, and, as of 2024, have also added separate television awards. This celebration of independent films and filmmakers is one of the first major film awards ceremonies of the awards season, and is often viewed as a key indicator for independent films heading into the Oscars.
Gotham Awards Winners: Through the Years
2025 GreenSlate Client Project Nominees
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You:
➡️Best Feature
➡️Best Director - Mary Bronstein
➡️Best Original Screenplay - Mary Bronstein
➡️Outstanding Lead Performance - Rose Byrne
Sorry, Baby:
➡️Best Feature
➡️Best Original Screenplay - Eva Victor
East of Wall:
➡️Best Feature
Lurker:
➡️Best Feature
2024 GreenSlate Client Projects: Winners
A Different Man:
🏆 Best Feature
His Three Daughters:
🏆 Best Screenplay - Azazel Jacobs
Sing Sing:
🏆 Outstanding Lead Performance - Colman Domingo
🏆 Outstanding Supporting Performance - Clarence Maclin
2023 GreenSlate Client Projects: Winners
Past Lives:
🏆 Best Feature
Beef:
🏆 Outstanding Performance in a New Series - Ali Wong
🏆 Breakthrough Series - Under 40 Minutes
May December:
🏆 Outstanding Supporting Performance - Charles Melton
A Thousand and One:
🏆 Breakthrough Director - A.V. Rockwell
Check out all our 2022 client project nominees here!
Gotham Awards 2021: GreenSlate Client Projects - Winners
CODA:
🏆 Outstanding Supporting Performance - Troy Kotsur
🏆 Breakthrough Performer - Emilia Jones
The Lost Daughter:
🏆 Best Picture - Maggie Gyllenhaal, director; Osnat Handelsman Keren, Talia Kleinhendler, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Charles Dorfman, producers
🏆 Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award - Maggie Gyllenhaal
🏆 Best Screenplay - Maggie Gyllenhaal
🏆 Outstanding Lead Performance - Olivia Colman
Nomadland:
🏆 Best Feature
🏆 Gotham Audience Award
Sound of Metal:
🏆 Best Actor - Riz Ahmed
One Night in Miami:
🏆 Breakthrough Actor - Kingsley Ben-Adir
The Trial of the Chicago 7:
🏆 Inaugural Ensemble Performance Tribute
Check out all of our Gotham Awards 2019 client project nominees!
Eighth Grade:
🏆 Breakthrough Actor - Elsie Fisher
🏆 Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director - Bo Burnham
First Reformed:
🏆 Best Screenplay - Paul Schrader
🏆 Best Actor - Ethan Hawke
Check out all of our Gotham Awards 2017 client project nominees!
When and where do the Gotham Awards take place?
The Gotham Awards ceremony typically takes place in late November in New York City on the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, The Gotham Awards will take place on December 1st at Cipriani Wall Street in Manhattan. Their early place in the awards calendar means The Gotham Film Awards build momentum for the awards season to come.
Who is eligible to be nominated for a Gotham Award?
Gotham Awards focus on independent films that are made by American filmmakers or feature strong American creative involvement. International feature and documentary categories also exist.
What is the significance of a Gotham Award win or nomination?
A win or nomination at the Gotham Awards can boost a film's visibility, attract further distribution, and is often seen as an important precursor for other awards such as the Independent Spirit Awards and sometimes even the Academy Awards. These awards often help emerging directors, writers, and actors gain industry recognition.
What are some of the major categories at the Gotham Awards?
Major Gotham Awards categories include Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best International Feature, Best Screenplay, Outstanding Lead Performance, and Breakthrough Director (named the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award). Honorees include directors, writers, producers, and actors.
How do the Gotham Awards differ from the Oscars or Golden Globes?
The Gotham Awards are specifically focused on independent film, as opposed to mainstream studio releases that dominate the Oscars and Golden Globes. They also often have fewer categories, and include unique awards like the “Breakthrough Performer.”
Check back here for the latest updates on awards season as Gotham Awards nominees and GreenSlate client projects continue to make headlines.
Ready to create your own award-winning feature? From prep to post, we’ve got production payroll covered. Speak with our Sales team to get started on your next film production.
Login
Login
