Reporting from NEW YORK — Sexual coming-of-age story “Diary of a Teenage Girl” and lesbian love story “Carol” were among the big winners when the Gotham Awards nominations were announced Thursday, while journalism drama “Spotlight” shone brightly too.
“Diary,” Marielle Heller’s tale of a teenager discovering her sexuality in 1970s San Francisco, scored four nominations at the independent-film staple, including best feature, screenplay and actress for Bel Powley, while “Carol,” Todd Haynes’ look at an affair in 1950s New York, notched three noms, including best feature, screenplay and actress for Cate Blanchett.
SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter >>
“Spotlight,” Tom McCarthy’s film about the Boston Globe’s investigation of the Catholic Church sex scandals of the early 2000s, landed best feature and screenplay nominations, also scooping up a special jury award for its ensemble cast that includes Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Michael Keaton.
Rounding out the best feature short list were “Tangerine,” Sean Baker’s trans romantic drama set in Los Angeles, and “Heaven Knows What,” Josh and Benny Safdie’s look at a homeless drug addict in New York.
Interestingly, Lenny Abrahamson’s “Room,” which had been considered an indie darling on this year’s Oscar circuit, was not nominated for best feature, though Brie Larson scored a slot for best actress. Larson has been a favorite at the Gothams, which nominated her for her breakout role in “Short Term 12” two years ago.
The Gothams, which take place Nov. 30 in New York, are among the first major award shows on a circuit that runs through the Oscars three months later.
1/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Daniel Wu (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
2/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Dakota Fanning
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 3/199
Chadwick Boseman (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
4/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Terry Notary
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 5/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sarah Jessica Parker
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 6/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Christopher Plummer
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 7/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sam Heughan
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 8/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ava DuVernay and Storm Reid
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 9/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Wes Studi
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 10/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Taylor Kitsch
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 11/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Clare-Hope Ashitey and Regina King
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 12/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Freddie Highmore (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
13/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Nick Robinson
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 14/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Daniela Vega
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 15/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Laura Linney and Jason Bateman
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 16/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Heather Graham
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 17/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Letitia Wright
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 18/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Michael Luwoye
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 19/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Melanie Griffith
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 20/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 21/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Camila Cabello
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 22/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Camila Cabello
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 23/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Chadwick Boseman
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 24/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Allison Janney and Margot Robbie
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 25/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Saffron Burrows
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 26/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Christopher Nolan
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 27/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Laurie Metcalf
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 28/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Paul Thomas Anderson
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 29/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jessica Chastain
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 30/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jordan Peele
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 31/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Guillermo del Toro, Sally Hawkins, and Doug Jones
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 32/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Gary Oldman
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 33/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Mary J. Blige
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 34/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Timothée Chalamet
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 35/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jennifer Lawrence
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 36/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Agnes Varda
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 37/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 38/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Gina Rodriguez
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) 39/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 40/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ethan Hawke
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 41/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Matt Smith
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 42/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Rachel Brosnahan
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 43/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Daniel Kaluuya
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 44/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Alia Shawkat
(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 45/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Aubrey Plaza
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 46/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Kumail Nanjiani
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 47/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Demián Bichir
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 48/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Saoirse Ronan
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 49/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sarah Gadon
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 50/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Bob Odenkirk
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 51/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlinn
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 52/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Zac Efron and Zendaya
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 53/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Frankie Shaw
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 54/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Dan Stevens
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 55/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Gemma Arterton
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 56/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Kristen Stewart
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 57/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tracee Ellis Ross
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 58/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Orlando Jones
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ringo Starr
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 60/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sofia Boutella
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) 61/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Luenell Campbell
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 62/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds
(Christina House / For The Times) 63/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sterling K. Brown
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 64/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Charo
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 65/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jay Baruchel
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 66/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | SZA
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 67/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tom Petty
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 68/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Angela Bassett and Lena Waithe
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 69/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Miles Teller
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 70/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Octavia Spencer
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 71/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | John Lithgow and Salma Hayek
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 72/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jeff Daniels
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times) 73/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Natalie Portman
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) 74/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Dwayne Johnson
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 75/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ava DuVernay (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
76/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Martin Scorsese
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 77/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Isabelle Huppert
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) 78/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Michelle Dockery (Christina House / For The Times)
79/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Don Cheadle
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 80/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges and Chris Pine
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 81/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tom Hanks (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
82/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Colman Domingo
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) 83/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Gwen Stefani
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 84/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Mykelti Williamson
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) 85/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tori Amos
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 86/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Pedro Almodovar
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 87/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ruth Negga
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) 88/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Nicole Kidman
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 89/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 90/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Lily Collins
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 91/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Barry Jenkins
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 92/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Mahershala Ali
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 93/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Viggo Mortensen
(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 94/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | The Weeknd
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 95/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Annette Bening
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 96/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Riz Ahmed
(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times) 97/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 98/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Chris Messina
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 99/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | “Weird” Al Yankovic
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 100/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Noël Wells
(Christina House / For The Times) 101/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Dennis Haysbert
(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 102/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Bethany Cosentino and Liz Phair
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 103/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Aaron Paul
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 104/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Dax Shepard
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 105/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 106/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tegan and Sara
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 107/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jurnee Smollett-Bell
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 108/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tracee Ellis Ross
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 109/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Clint Eastwood and Alison Eastwood
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 110/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Aya Cash
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 111/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Niecy Nash
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 112/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Linda Cardellini
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 113/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Norman Lear and Ben Lear
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 114/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Will Forte
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 115/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Richard Dreyfuss
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 116/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Richard Dreyfuss
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 117/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Megan Fox
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 118/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Don Cheadle
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 119/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Chloe Sevigny
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 120/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ray Liotta
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 121/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Kristen Schaal
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 122/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jay Duplass
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 123/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Moby
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 124/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Krysten Ritter
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 125/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jay Roach, Bryan Cranston, Robert Schenkkan and Anthony Mackie
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 126/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jerrod Carmichael
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 127/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Anna Faris and Allison Janney
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 128/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Katie Couric
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 129/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Lil Buck
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) 130/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Judith Light
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 131/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Kerry Washington
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 132/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Patrick Wilson
(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 133/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Zach Galifianakis
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 134/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Keegan-Michael Key, Peter Atencio and Jordan Peele
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 135/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Megan Mullally
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 136/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
137/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Andrew Ranells
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 138/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Matt Walsh, Julia Louis- Dreyfus and Tony Hale
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 139/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tom Hiddleston
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 140/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sterling K. Brown
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 141/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Rami Maleck
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 142/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Anton Yelchin, Patrick Stewart and Jeremy Saulnier
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 143/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Emilia Clarke
(Christina House / For The Times) 144/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jorma Taccone, Akiva Schaffer and Andy Samberg
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 145/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Julia Roberts and Garry Marshall
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) 146/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ice Cube
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 147/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tituss Burgess
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 148/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sam Heughan, Catriona Blafe and Tobias Menzies
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 149/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Claire Danes
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 150/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Bella Heathcote, Christina Hendricks, Jena Malone, director Nicolas Winding Refn, and Elle Fanning
(Christina House / For The Times) 151/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Constance Zimmer
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 152/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Norman Reedus
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 153/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Christian Bale
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 154/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sylvester Stallone
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 155/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Bryan Cranston
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 156/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 157/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Craig Ferguson
(Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) 158/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tim Roth
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 159/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Angela Bassett
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 160/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | The Weeknd
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 161/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Carol Burnett
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 162/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Melanie Lynskey
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 163/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Adam McKay and Steve Carell
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 164/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | John Cusack
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 165/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Conan O’Brien and James Corden
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 166/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Spike Lee
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 167/199
s Celebrity portraits by The Times | Eva Longoria
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 168/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Carrie Brownstein
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 169/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Walton Goggins
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 170/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Helen Mirren
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 171/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Keegan Michael Key
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 172/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Kurt Russell
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 173/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Danny Boyle, Tom McCarthy, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott, Tom Hooper and Todd Haynes
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 174/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Elizabeth Banks
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 175/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sam Smith
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 176/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jonathan Banks
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 177/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Carey Mulligan
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 178/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tom Hardy
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 179/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Charlotte Rampling and Saoirse Ronan (l to r seated) Lily Tomlin, Cate Blanchett, Helen Mirren and Brie Larsen
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 180/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jamie Lee Curtis
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 181/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Julianne Nicholson
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 182/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tim Roth
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 183/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Patrick Stewart
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) 184/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Johnny Depp
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 185/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Anthony Mackie, Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
(Christina House / For The Times) 186/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Alicia Vikander
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 187/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Sylvester Stallone
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 188/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 189/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ian McKellen
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times) 190/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Johnny Depp, Scott Cooper and Joel Edgerton
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 191/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Blythe Danner
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 192/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Ruth Wilson
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 193/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Charlize Theron
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) 194/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Gwendoline Christie
(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times) 195/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Jake Lacy
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 196/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Michael Shannon
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 197/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Joanna Newsom
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) 198/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Tori Kelly
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) 199/199
Celebrity portraits by The Times | Peter Capaldi
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) The show is a kind of East Coast version of the Spirit Awards, with its criteria varying greatly from the Oscars. But with the Oscars opting for grittier and more modestly budgeted films in recent years, the Gothams have become a surprisingly accurate barometer of several categories at the big show. A Gothams best feature nominee has gone on to win best picture at the Oscars three of the past six years; in two of those years, the Gotham and Oscar top prizewinners matched (“The Hurt Locker” and last year’s “Birdman”).
The show also has prefigured a lead acting Oscars winner in each of the two years since it began handing out awards to those performers.
This year, lead actor nominations went to a group of performances in (comparatively) low-budget films, including Michael Shannon in “99 Homes,” Paul Dano in “Love & Mercy,” Christopher Abbott in “James White,” Kevin Corrigan in “Results” and Peter Sarsgaard in “Experimenter.”
Rounding out the lead actress list were Blythe Danner in “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” Kristen Wiig in “Welcome to Me” and Lily Tomlin in “Grandma.”
The remainder of the screenplay noms are the Oren Moverman-penned “Love & Mercy” and Noah Baumbach’s “While We’re Young.”
A mix of film festival programmers and movie journalists comprised the Gotham Awards’ nominating committees; the writers included Entertainment Weekly’s Mark Harris, Salon’s Andrew O’Hehir, New York Magazine’s Bilge Ebiri and the Washington Post’s Ann Hornaday. The committees also announced shortlists for breakthrough actor and director, the latter of which helped “Diary” land its fourth Gothams nom.
Thursday’s nominations provided a boost to the prospects of several films, particularly “Spotlight” and “Carol,” both of which have been tipped as potential best picture nominees at the Oscars. “The Martian” and “Inside Out” are among the few big-budget Hollywood movies expected to compete heavily at that show.
Twitter: @ZeitchikLAT
