‘Marriage Story,’ ‘The Farewell,’ ‘Uncut Gems’ Lead Nominations

Publish: 9:49 PM, October 24, 2019 | Update: 9:49 PM, October 24, 2019
UNB_7530.nef

Other movies nominated for multiple awards at the independent film ceremony include ‘Clemency,’ ‘Diane,’ ‘High Flying Bird,’ ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco,’ ‘Midsommar’ and ‘Waves.’
Marriage Story, The Farewell, Uncut Gems and The Last Black Man in San Francisco each earned a leading three nominations for the 2019 Gotham Independent Film Awards.
Marriage Story, The Farewell and Uncut Gems are all nominated for best feature, along with Hustlers and Waves. Waves castmember Taylor Russell is also nominated for breakthrough actor.
Noah Baumbach’s Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver starrer Marriage Story, about a divorcing couple negotiating custody of their son, is also nominated for best screenplay, which Baumbach also wrote, and best actor (Driver). Similarly, Lulu Wang’s semiautobiographical The Farewell, about the daughter of Chinese immigrants forced to go along with the family’s deception of her grandmother back home, is up for best screenplay, from Wang, and best actress for star Awkwafina. The Safdie Brothers’ Uncut Gems, about a diamond dealer (Adam Sandler) in over his head is also up for best actor (Sandler) and breakthrough actor (Julia Fox).
While The Last Black Man in San Francisco didn’t earn a best feature nod, the Joe Talbot film is up for best director; best screenplay (Talbot, Jimmie Fails, Rob Richert); and breakthrough actor (Jonathan Majors). Films nominated for two awards at the independent film ceremony include Clemency, Diane, High Flying Bird and Midsommar.
Four years after the Gotham Awards began recognizing small-screen fare with its breakthrough series awards, this year it seems to have adjusted the time limits for longform and shortform breakthrough series, with the former applying to shows longer than 40 minutes and the latter applying to programs shorter than 40 minutes. Chernobyl, David Makes Man, My Brilliant Friend, Unbelievable and When They See Us are nominated for the breakthrough series – longform award. PEN15, Ramy, Russian Doll, Tuca & Bertie and Undone are nominated for the breakthrough series – shortform award.
Previously announced tribute awards will be given to actors Laura Dern and Sam Rockwell, director Ava DuVernay and FilmNation CEO Glen Basner. Dern has a supporting role in Marriage Story and DuVernay wrote, directed and executive produced When They See Us.
The Gotham Award nominees are selected by committees of film critics, journalists, festival programmers and film curators. Separate juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors and others directly involved in making films will determine the final award recipients.
IFP members can vote online, starting Nov. 25, for the winner in the final competitive category, the audience award. The 15 films nominated for best feature, best documentary and the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award make up the nominees in that category.
“We congratulate the 2019 IFP Gotham Award nominees and are excited to recognize these artists on Dec. 2 here in New York, a city known for its great tradition of independent storytelling,” Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of IFP, which presents the Gotham Awards, and the Made in NY Media Center said Thursday in a statement. “This year has been filled with brilliant performances and dynamic work across film and television and we look forward to celebrating these achievements together.”
The 2019 Gotham Awards are set to be held Monday, Dec. 2, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
Source : hollywoodreporter.com