NEW YORK — A shocking moment unfolded during Hollywood’s initial major awards event of the season as “A Different Man,” a dark comedy centered around themes of doppelgängers, deformity, and the intricate nature of acting, secured the top honor of best feature film at the 34th Gotham Awards on Monday evening.
The Gotham Awards are known for their unpredictable outcomes, relying on small juries comprising industry insiders to decide nominees and winners. As the cast of “A Different Man,” including Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson, took the stage, writer-director Aaron Schimberg appeared completely taken aback. “I don’t think I’m not the only person in this room who’s totally stunned,” Schimberg stated. “Given the caliber of the other nominees, preparing a speech felt like an act of vanity.”
At this glamorous Gotham event, attended by stars such as Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, and Angelina Jolie, many spectators anticipated a win for Sean Baker’s film “Anora,” a comedic story about a sex worker who weds the son of a Russian oligarch. With a leading number of nominations and recognition as a Cannes Palme d’Or recipient, it was considered a strong contender for the Oscars, yet it ended the night without any awards.
In contrast, “A Different Man,” an A24 release, emerged as a surprising success. In the film, Stan portrays a character with facial deformities who undergoes a life-changing healing process. However, his character becomes overshadowed by Pearson’s role, who genuinely lives with neurofibromatosis, a condition characterized by benign skin tumors on his face.
While the Gotham Awards do not always serve as a reliable predictor for the Oscars, past winners such as “Past Lives,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and “Nomadland” have all received best picture nominations, with the latter two films securing wins. It remains uncertain whether any of the award recipients from Monday night — including “Sing Sing” and “Nickel Boys,” who also took home awards — will leverage these early victories into further recognition. Nonetheless, the Gotham Awards typically offer a glimpse into the tone of the forthcoming awards circuit.
As the Oscar race heats up, one of the pressing discussions surrounds the influence of politics and the impending inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. While Trump’s name did not surface during the proceedings, several recipients subtly referenced the evolving political landscape. Colman Domingo, honored for best lead performance, remarked, “Let’s continue to pursue work that truly makes a difference. That can illuminate the darkness we face.”
Domingo earned this accolade for his role in “Sing Sing,” an independent drama showcasing a real prison program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts, which utilizes theater to help inmates heal. Clarence Maclin, who plays a notable supporting part in the film, also received recognition for best supporting performance. The Gothams feature gender-neutral acting awards, allowing for ten nominees instead of the traditional five.
“Had someone told me a decade ago that I’d be here, I wouldn’t have believed them,” Maclin expressed.
The film “Sing Sing,” also produced by A24, was regarded as the emotional highlight of the night. The ensemble accept a tribute award, with Sean Dino Johnson, a founding member of the rehabilitation program, delivering one of the evening’s most heartfelt addresses about the transformative power of the arts. “We stand here as living proof that films like ‘Sing Sing’ do more than entertain; they are capable of changing lives,” Johnson asserted.
RaMell Ross’s cinematic adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s “Nickel Boys” also made an impact, collecting two esteemed awards: best director for Ross and breakthrough performer for Brandon Wilson. The film poetically depicts the experiences of two Black youths in a cruel juvenile reform institution in Jim Crow-era Florida, primarily presenting the narrative through the lenses of its protagonists.
For numerous attendees, the Gothams represent a pivotal opportunity to impact future awards prospects through compelling speeches. This year, tribute awards were distributed to several high-profile individuals, including Zendaya (for “Challengers”), Angelina Jolie (for “Maria”), Timothée Chalamet and James Mangold (for “A Complete Unknown”), Denis Villeneuve (for “Dune: Part Two”), and Franklin Leonard, the pioneer of the unproduced screenplay platform, The Black List.
Jolie, portraying the opera singer Maria Callas in “Maria,” emphasized the significance of arts education in schools and raised concerns about its diminishing presence. “The teaching of art is absolutely vital, and it’s alarming to see it being reduced,” she conveyed.
Zendaya, honored for her role in Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers,” took a moment to express gratitude to her mother, who accompanied her to the ceremony. “Shout out to mom,” she exclaimed.
Chalamet shared his experience preparing for the role of Bob Dylan in the forthcoming film “A Complete Unknown.” He said, “Immersing myself in Bob Dylan’s world has been the greatest education I could have imagined as a young artist. If you appreciate Bob Dylan already, this will resonate with you. If not, I hope our movie serves as a gentle introduction to one of the poetic giants of our era.”
The award for best documentary went to “No Other Land,” created by a collective of Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, which chronicles the Israeli occupation of a Palestinian village in the West Bank over several years. While widely praised, it currently lacks an American distributor.
Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light,” a lyrical exploration of three women’s lives in modern Mumbai, clinched the award for best international film. Despite being the first Indian film nominated at the Cannes Film Festival this year, India did not select it for Oscar consideration.
Lastly, Vera Drew was recognized with the breakthrough director award for her work on “The People’s Joker,” a parody of superhero films that addresses gender identity themes. Drew humorously thanked Warner Bros. for refraining from legal action against her, as well as actress Nicole Kidman, saying, “’Batman Forever’ was when I first understood my identity as a trans person.”
