Inside the Gotham Awards—the Biggest Night of the Year for Independent Film
On Monday evening, The Gothams—the indie Oscars, if you will—ushered in the 2025-2026 awards season and gave a sense of what stories and stars are capturing public attention right now. As is tradition, it was a celebration of underdogs and heavyweights alike, a spotlight on art created with all kinds of budgets, and a program full of hilarious speeches with no shortage of expletives and F-bombs thrown in. After all, this is a New York-based awards ceremony we’re talking about.
“F*ck AI,” Frankenstein director Guillermo del Toro told the ballroom at Cipriani Wall Street to deafening cheers. “Our movie was made by humans for humans,” he continued, explaining that he had waited 50 years to tackle a project he’d dreamed of since childhood. Del Toro received the evening’s hallowed Vanguard Tribute alongside the ambitious reimagining’s lead actors, Oscar Isaac and Jacob Elordi. “It’s a wild-ass, crazy, beautiful, impossibly rich film,” Isaac said. “To be standing up here as a Guatemalan, a Mexican, and an Australian—immigrants, baby, we get the job done.”
On Monday afternoon, news broke that Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi—who won the Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival this summer—would be sentenced to a year in prison and a two-year travel ban for “propaganda activities” against the country. Shot in secret, his latest movie, It Was Just an Accident, swept the boards at the 35th annual Gothams, receiving the nods for Best Director, Best International Feature Film, and Best Original Screenplay. Speaking through an interpreter, Panahi dedicated the recognition to independent filmmakers around the world who “keep the camera rolling without support, only for their faith in humanity and storytelling.”
Mamma Mia co-stars Amanda Seyfried and Stellen Skarsgård—both nominated for their own performances on the night—reunited to present director Harry Lighton with Best Adapted Screenplay for Pillion. “I just got here about two minutes ago. It’s been quite a stressful day—thank you to A24 for booking me a new flight,” the Englishman said. “There’s so many titans here, and to be in your company is brilliant.” Skarsgård’s son, Alexander, who makes a turn as a swagger-ful biker in Pillion smiled from his seat in a punchy pink blazer by Valentino.
One-to-watch Akinola Davies Jr. was also spotlighted, receiving the Breakthrough Director nod for My Father’s Shadow. Sporting a New York Yankees x MoMA cap with his suit, the British-Nigerian creative thanked his brother and co-writer Wale for joining him on the night. “Ten years ago, I had to keep calling him for money….hopefully I won’t need it tonight,” he said. Later on, he would return to the stage to accept the award for Outstanding Lead Performance on behalf of the film’s star, Sopé Dìrísù.
As guests dined on Cipriani’s famed cheesy Tagliolini and succulent cuts of steak, Adam Sandler told the room: “I remember when this used to be for the low budget movies; this new Gotham sh*t is good!” The Jay Kelly actor joined the film’s co-writer Emily Mortimer on the podium to deliver a double act tale regaling their friendship with Noah Baumbach as they presented him with the prestigious Director Tribute.
