Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” was crowned best feature film and the dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi won three awards Monday at the 35th annual Gotham Awards, a starry kickoff to the film industry’s awards season.
The Gothams, presented by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, aren’t considered an Oscar bellwether. But the black-tie affair, held at Cipriani Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, is known for celebrating smaller films while also dishing out generous helpings of tribute awards to Oscar hopefuls.
That made “One Battle After Another,” a studio release that cost at least $130 million to make, unlike any previous winner at the Gothams. Past winners include indies like “Past Lives,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and the surprise 2024 winner, “A Different Man.”
“I remember when the Gotham Awards were for low-budget movies,” joked Adam Sandler, presenting a tribute to Noah Baumbach. “For ‘The Squid and the Whale,’ they paid Jeff Daniels in potato skins.”
But in 2023, the Gotham Awards dispensed with their $35 million budget cap for films. And this year, “One Battle After Another,” a father-daughter tale of multigenerational protest, is widely seen as the best-picture front-runner and the movie to beat at March’s Academy Awards.
“I didn’t expect this, actually,” said Anderson, accepting the award. “I started to think I didn’t know what was going on.”
“Thank you very much, everybody,” added Anderson. “Let’s go home or let’s go to a bar somewhere or something.”
While the Gothams help the industry get into the swing of awards season, they’re quirkier than bigger-name ceremonies. Small juries select nominees and winners, which often leads to unexpected results. Both of the acting winners on Monday weren’t even in attendance.
Best lead performance went to Sopé Dìrísù for the British-Nigerian drama “My Father’s Shadow.” His award was accepted by the film’s director, Akinola Davies Jr., who also won for breakthrough director. Other nominees in the category included Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Die My Love”) and Ethan Hawke (“Blue Moon”).
Best supporting performance went to Wunmi Mosaku of “Sinners,” a victory that came over nominees such as Teyana Taylor (“One Battle After Another”), Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”) and Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”). “Sinners” director Ryan Coogler accepted her award.
Panahi won three awards for his revenge drama “It Was Just an Accident”: best director, best original screenplay and best international film. Earlier Monday, Panahi’s attorney, Mostafa Nili, said the director had been sentenced to one year in prison and a two-year travel ban.
Panahi was jailed for months shortly before making “It Was Just an Accident” and only released after going on a hunger strike. In 2010, he was barred from filmmaking or traveling out of Iran. Yet he continued to make films without the government’s permission. Since 2023, and until Monday’s ruling, Panahi had been permitted to leave Iran. In May, his film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
“I would like to dedicate the honor of this award to independent filmmakers in Iran and around the world,” said Panahi accepting the screenplay award. “Filmmakers who keep the camera rolling in silence without support and, at times, risking everything they have, only with their faith in truth and humanity.”
Other winners Monday included Harry Lighton (“Pillion”) for adapted screenplay; Abou Sangaré (“Souleymane’s Story”) for breakthrough performer; and Julia Loktev’s “My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 — Last Air in Moscow” for best documentary.
Among the tribute honorees were: Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” Scott Cooper’s “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”; “Hedda” star Tessa Thompson; “Jay Kelly” director Noah Baumbach; the cast of “Sinners”; Luca Guadagnino and Julia Roberts of “After the Hunt”; and “Song Sung Blue” stars Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.
“This is a time for all of us to remember what unites us and what brings us together,” said Jackman. “And that is awards season, everybody.”
Here’s a rundown of the evening’s winners:
For Best Feature, presented by Chris Rock and Naomi Watts
One Battle After Another
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Produced by Paul Thomas Anderson, Sara Murphy, and Adam Somner
Released by Warner Bros. Pictures
The Best Feature jury included: Alec Baldwin, Alex Coco, Danielle Deadwyler, Julia Oh, and Janet Yang
For Best International Feature, presented by Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott
It Was Just an Accident
Directed by Jafar Panahi
Produced by Philippe Martin and Jafar Panahi
Released by NEON
The Best International Feature jury included: Laure de Clermont, Mike Goodridge, Annette Insdorf, Kishori Rajan, and Claire Taylor
For Best Documentary Feature, presented by Alina Cho
My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow
Directed by Julia Loktev
Produced by Julia Loktev
Self-distributed
The Best Documentary Feature jury included: Fabien Greenberg, Stephen Maing, Leslie Norville, Katharina Otto-Bernstein, and Nisha Pahuja
For Best Director, presented by Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones
Jafar Panahi for It Was Just an Accident
Released by NEON
The Best Director jury included: James Faust, Mary Harron, Lynn Nottage, Jane Schoenbrun and Sebastian Stan
For Best Original Screenplay, presented by Regina Hall, Chase Infiniti and Teyana Taylor
Jafar Panahi for It Was Just an Accident
Released by NEON
The Best Original Screenplay jury included: Peter Chiarelli, Gia Coppola, Gina Duncan, Justin Kuritzkes, and Audra McDonald
For Best Adapted Screenplay, presented by Amanda Seyfried and Stellan Skarsgård
Harry Lighton for Pillion
Released by A24
The Best Adapted Screenplay jury included: Raúl Castillo, Ann Dowd, Cheryl Dunye, Jeremy Garelick, and Katie Silberman
For Breakthrough Director, presented by Rose Byrne and Wagner Moura
Akinola Davies Jr. for My Father’s Shadow
Released by MUBI
The Breakthrough Director jury included: Vera Drew, Gabriel Mayers, Channing Godfrey Peoples, A.V. Rockwell, and Sean Wang
For Outstanding Lead Performance, presented by Elle Fanning and Kristen Stewart
Sopé Dìrísù in My Father’s Shadow
Released by MUBI
The Outstanding Lead Performance jury included: Hugh Dancy, Scott Lambert, Molly Ringwald, Jeymes Samuel, and Shira-Lee Shalit
For Outstanding Supporting Performance, presented by Lee Byung hun and Minnie Driver
Wunmi Mosaku in Sinners
Released by Warner Bros. Pictures
The Outstanding Supporting Performance jury included: Monica Barbaro, Kim Coleman, Lily Gladstone, Clarence Maclin, and Katy O’Brian
For Breakthrough Performer, presented by Imogen Poots and Renate Reinsve
Abou Sangaré in Souleymane’s Story
Released by Kino Lorber
The Breakthrough Performer jury included: Ana Lily Amirpour, Timothy Hutton, Nia Long, David Lowery, and Brandon Wilson
Student Short Film Showcase
The Gotham also announced the winners of its seventh annual Focus Features Student Short Film Showcase. The five winning filmmakers were:
Maria Regina Rios Ceja
Maybe I’ll Find You In A Robbery (Tal Vez Te Encuentre En Un Asalto)
Loyola Marymount University
Cameron Clay
JESUS IS COMING (to take the Church away)
Columbia University
Sergio Muñoz Esquer
Ballad of an Immigrant with Memory (Balada de un Inmigrante con Memoria)
University of Texas at Austin
ishkwaazhe Shane McSauby
The Beguiling
New York University
Alexander Molochnikov
Extremist
Columbia University
With the critical support of returning partner Focus Features, The Gotham aims to discover and empower a diverse group of emerging filmmakers as well as foster digital distribution of their work through the annual program. Each winner will receive a $2,000 grant and will have their films shown for 12 months on Focus Features digital streaming platforms. Throughout 2026, the winning filmmakers will also receive ongoing mentorship and workshopping opportunities from The Gotham as well as access to a Soho House Global membership.
