The Gotham Awards Honors a Year of Cinema Visionaries

Cinema luminaries and film visionaries gathered for a dazzling  evening at the 35th edition of The Gotham Awards.

The annual ceremony held at Cipriani Wall Street brought together a crowd who came out to celebrate a year of groundbreaking storytelling and the individuals who made the magic happen on the screen. Industry insiders and emerging talent harmoniously blended in New York City to honor a bevy of artisans from around the globe.

Applause loudly echoed in the grand ballroom of the downtown venue that sent a message that the making of movies is here to stay.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s as expected took home the highest honor of Best Feature for “One Battle After Another” while many other categories left the room pleasantly surprised in some smaller projects taking home prizes. The other big winner of the night Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident” carved out a path for international cinema to lead the march for the upcoming weeks of awards season contenders.

Actor categories were just as momentous of a battle cry for the indie darlings and newcomers shutting out bigger stars with Best Lead Performance for Sopé Dìrísù in “My Father’s Shadow” and Best Supporting Performance claimed by Wunmi Mosaku for “Sinners”  The Best Breakthrough Performer statuette went to Abou Sangaré of “Souleymane’s Story.”

In a night that celebrates anything but traditional cinema, the speeches reflected an industry looking to make waves in a new world and do so bravely.

As Guillermo del Toro took the stage with his “Frankenstein” leading cast members Jacob Elordi and Oscar Isaac he shared his thoughts with the crowd on where artificial intelligence in filmmaking stands for him.

While accepting the Vanguard Tribute he said:” “I’d like to tell the rest of our extraordinary cast and our crew that the artistry of all of them shines on every single frame of this film that was willfully made by humans, for humans. The designers, builders, make-up, wardrobe team, cinematographers, composers, editors, this tribute belongs to all of them. I would like to extend our gratitude and say: Fuck AI.”

It summed up the emotions of the attendees who came out on Dec. 1 to honor the brave folks of film who will never stop letting their emotions run wild.

The Gothams provide early recognition and media attention for outstanding and groundbreaking storytellers, including writers, directors, producers and actors. Nominees were selected by independent committees of film critics, journalists, festival programmers, and film curators. Separate independent juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors, and other film industry professionals determined the final recipients of The Gothams.

Celebrated during the affair were a grand group who deserve the place on the phenomenal platform of beloved Gotham Awards:

The winner for Best Feature was One Battle After Another.

The winner for Best International Feature was “It Was Just an Accident.”

The Best Documentary Feature award was presented to “My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow.”

The winner for Best Director was Jafar Panahi for “It Was Just an Accident.”

The winner for Best Original Screenplay was Jafar Panahi for “It Was Just an Accident.”

The winner for Best Adapted Screenplay was Harry Lighton for “Pillion.”

The winner for Breakthrough Director was Akinola Davies Jr. for “My Father’s Shadow.”

The winner for Outstanding Lead Performance was Sopé Dìrísù in “My Father’s Shadow.”

The winner for Outstanding Supporting Performance was Wunmi Mosaku in “Sinners.”

The winner for Breakthrough Performer was Abou Sangaré in “Souleymane’s Story.”

The Gothams Tributes, the organization’s highest honors celebrating outstanding achievement in film, were also presented at the ceremony. The Tributes recognize the industry’s most accomplished creators and performers whose work has made an indelible impact on both the art form and popular culture. Frankenstein received the Gotham Vanguard Tribute for its bold re-imagining of the timeless tale.

The cast of “Sinners” received the Ensemble Tribute for their bracing, inspired performances. Tessa Thompson received the Spotlight Tribute for her magnetic portrayal in Nia DaCosta’s “Hedda.”

Noah Baumbach received the Gotham Director Tribute for his remarkable career and his latest achievement, “Jay Kelly.” Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman received the inaugural Gotham Musical Tribute for their outstanding musical performances in “Song Sung Blue.”

Jeremy Allen White and Scott Cooper received The Gotham Cultural Icon Tribute for their remarkable collaboration on Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere. Luca Guadagnino and Julia Roberts received the Visionary Tribute for their provocative and powerful partnership on “After the Hunt.”

Additionally with the critical support of returning partner Focus Features, The Gotham aims to discover and empower a diverse group of emerging filmmakers as well as foster digital distribution of their work through the annual program. Each winner will receive a $2,000 grant and will have their films shown for twelve months on Focus Features digital streaming platforms. Throughout 2026, the winning filmmakers will also receive ongoing mentorship and workshopping opportunities from The Gotham as well as access to a Soho House Global membership.

The Gothams were announced live and in-person at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The ceremony was also livestreamed on Variety’s YouTube channel and through TEGNA network affiliates across 51 markets throughout the country.

The Breakthrough Performer jury included: Ana Lily Amirpour, Timothy Hutton, Nia Long, David Lowery, and Brandon Wilson.

The Platinum Sponsors of the Gotham Film Awards are IMDb and GreenSlate, the Official Automobile Sponsor is Genesis, the Official Water Sponsor is FIJI Water, the Official Spirits Sponsor is Rabbit Hole, and the Official Wine Sponsor is Decentralized Pictures.