The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) will introduce a new annual Ensemble Tribute at the 2020 IFP Gotham Awards. In its inaugural year the award will be presented to The Trial of the Chicago 7, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin.  Previously a juried award, the tribute will honor the performances of a group of dynamic and noteworthy cast onscreen and celebrate their collective effort and contributions to the film’s narrative.  

The IFP Gotham Awards is one of the leading awards for independent film.  As the first major awards ceremony of the season, the IFP Gotham Awards provide critical early recognition and media attention to worthy indie films  and their writers, directors, producers, and actors with 11 competitive awards categories. The awards are also unique for their ability to assist in catapulting award recipients prominently into national awards season attention.  The 30th Anniversary of the IFP Gotham Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, January 11, 2021. The awards show will be presented live from Cipriani Wall Street New York in a hybrid format featuring virtual interactive tables in order to follow health and safety protocols brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 features an ensemble cast of Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jeremy Strong, Mark Rylance, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Alex Sharp, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Caitlin Fitzgerald, Alice Kremelberg, and Ben Shenkman.  The film follows the true story of the Chicago Seven, a group of anti–Vietnam War protesters who were charged surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.  The film is currently available on Netflix.

“For our 30th Anniversary, we are proud to introduce a new tribute honor, recognizing excellence in an ensemble cast,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of IFP.  “Starting this year and in the years to come, we look to celebrate a film that demonstrates the collaborative nature of a group performance and the effect that it has in elevating each individual, and the overall story.  Each cast member of The Trial of the Chicago 7 delivers an intricate and powerful performance, and we are delighted to celebrate them and their cumulative achievement.” 

It was previously announced that Chadwick Boseman will receive this year’s posthumous Actor Tribute, Viola Davis the Actress Tribute, Steve McQueen the Director’s Tribute, and Ryan Murphy the Industry Tribute.