Breaking news: the IFP Gotham Awards will now be called The Gothams. Kicking off the awards season, this week’s celebration of “indie” or lower budget films managed to recreate the Gotham experience, seating guests at their packed tables in the cavernous Cipriani Wall Street, virtually, of course. Sipping my wine, I could kibbitz with fellow journalists. Let us say, no one was commenting on the celebrities’ gowns, glitz, or hairdos. For the occasion, I did wear makeup—and a sweater over yoga pants (not pajamas) instead of my usual cocktail dress. I did not work the room, but I enjoyed the experience of seeing Cadillac Escalades occupy the space, along with a few lone well-distanced high-rise tables near a stage with red velvet curtains. Elegance was maintained. I could see that I was not alone feeling out the possibilities. Early on, when the Best Documentary award went to two films, A Thousand Cuts and Time, onlookers heard the winners mutter, “I don’t see anyone. This is weird.” Alone in a room, we were not alone.
Viola Davis accepted a career Tribute from George C. Wolfe, her Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom director. He applauded Davis, a strong black woman playing a strong black woman. She, in turn, was pleased that audiences were “recognizing August Wilson’s work through me.” Nicole Kidman in pastels presented the Industry Tribute to Ryan Murphy. Aaron Sorkin presented the Gotham Ensemble Tribute to his gang of A-listers in The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Lupita Nyong’o presented to Steve McQueen whose Small Axe series defies all genres as both a personal statement and history: “He loves to tackle difficult narratives.” Andre Holland told stories about the late Chadwick Boseman, and yet the Best Actor went to Riz Ahmed for Sound of Metal. Accepting, Ahmed paid tribute to two fellow actors in his speech: Boseman and Irfan Khan, incredible performers lost this year.
Identifying Features, a movie from Mexico won Best International Feature, and Nomadland was awarded both the Audience Award and Best Feature -- no surprise to those of us observing the fine movies of 2020. As I reported, kudos to the nominators for their choice of films by women directors. In Nomadland, Chloe Zhao fictionalized the near invisible alt-world of Americans living off the grid, matching many who she met on the road—Spankie, for example-- with career actors, notably the superb Frances McDormand. If we had been seated in Cipriani Wall Street for real, Zhao might have brought Spankie with her, and we could have chatted over the wines sponsored by Robert Hall Winery and Cipriani’s signature lamb chops on the balcony, the site of the annual cocktails.
Oh well, there’s next year. And, p.s. we’ve always called it The Gothams.
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