‘Moonrise Kingdom’ wins best film at Gotham Awards

Wes Anderson’s quirky coming-of-age comedy “Moonrise Kingdom” was named best film of 2012 Monday evening at the 22nd annual Gotham Independent Film Awards.

Anderson did not attend the awards, presented at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, because he is prepping his next production.

Emayatzy Corinealdi won the breakthrough performance award for her role as a young woman whose husband is in prison in “Middle of Nowhere,” and Benh Zeitlin earned breakthrough director honors for “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” Zeitlin also won the inaugural Bingham Ray Memorial Award, named after the indie-film executive who died in January at the age of 57.

The ensemble award went to the cast of “Your Sister’s Sister” -- starring Emily Blunt, Mark Duplass and Rosemarie DeWitt.

Other awards given out:

Best documentary: “How to Survive a Plague”

The Best Film Not Playing At a Theater Near You: “An Oversimplification of Her Beauty”

Gotham Audience Award, which is voted on by filmgoers online: “Artifact”

Calvin Klein “Live the Dream” grant: Stacie Passon for her upcoming film “Concussion”

Besides the competitive awards, career achievement honors were given to actress Marion Cotillard, actor/writer Matt Damon, director David O. Russell and producer Jeff Skoll.

The awards are sponored by the Independent Filmmaker Project, the oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers in the U.S.

Last year, there was a tie for best film: “Beginners,” for which Christopher Plummer won an Oscar for supporting actor, and Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life,” which went on to earn three Oscar nominations including best picture.

The 2009 Gotham best film winner, “The Hurt Locker,” won Academy Awards for best picture, director and original screenplay, among others.

Film Independent announces its nominees for the Spirit Awards Tuesday morning.

ALSO:

Oscar 8-Ball: Wes Anderson’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom’

Emayatzy Corinealdi finds good role in ‘Middle of Nowhere’

‘Beasts’ and ‘Bernie’ earn Gotham Independent Film nominations

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