DuJour Navigation

The 2017 Gotham Awards Honors Nicole Kidman

The first official awards show of the season provided fodder for 2018 Oscars predictions

As the first official scrimmage of awards show season, the annual IFP Gotham Awards, which unfolded last night at Cipriani Wall Street, offers an early forecast of the 2018 Oscars. Honoring achievements in independent feature and documentary filmmaking, the ceremony celebrated many of this year’s most heat-seeking contenders, including Luca Luca Guadagnino’s sultry gay love story Call Me By Your Name, which took home Best Feature, and Best Screenplay winner Get Out, the comedy-horror parable from writer-director Jordan Peele.

Hosted by Hedwig actor John Cameron Mitchell, the awards attracted a cabal of critical pets, from Greta Gerwig to Maggie Betts, both nominated for the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award, as well as bona fide A-listers like Nicole Kidman, to whom Reese Witherspoon presented a special “Actress Tribute” for her acting and philanthropic achievements.

Reese Witherspoon presented the “Actress Tribute” to friend and Big Little Lies costar Nicole Kidman

With awards predictions already at a pitch, last night’s winner’s circle also included a few surprises. James Franco took home “Best Actor” for his role as infamously flawed filmmaker Tommy Wiseau in the yet-to-be-released The Disaster Artist, beating out Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project and Get Out’s Daniel Kaluuya. But for the many who saw CMBYN in their “Best Actor” tea leaves, not to fret: Timothée Chalamet took home the Breakthrough Actor award for his role as Elio in the film.

Click through the gallery to see the night’s most notable attendees.

STORIES DUJOUR