Gotham Independent Film Awards set for Dec. 1

Hot on the heels of the NBoR announcement comes this press release for the Gotham Independent Film Awards:

New York, NY (July 22, 2009) – IFP, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers, today announced that the 19th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards™ will return for the second year to Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, on Tuesday, December 1st .

More, and a reminder of last year’s winners, after the cut.

Additionally, the group is now accepting submissions for five of its six competitive categories, including: Best Feature, Best Documentary, Breakthrough Actor, Breakthrough Director and Best Ensemble Performance. Consideration for the sixth competitive award, Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You®, is by invitation-only.

One of the leading awards for independent film, the Gotham Independent Film Awards™ honor independently-distributed American feature films. The awards also present Tributes to four icons within the creative and business community as part of the ceremony. Among those feted with Tributes as part of recent ceremonies are: actors Javier Bardem, Pénelope Cruz and Kate Winslet; filmmakers Mira Nair, Gus Van Sant and Melvin Van Peebles; executives Shelia Nevins (HBO Documentaries) and Jonathan Sehring (IFC Films); and film critic Roger Ebert.

As the first major awards of the film season, the Gotham Independent Film Awards™ provide critical early recognition and media attention to worthy independent films. Previous winners for Best Feature and Best Documentary include FROZEN RIVER (2008), TROUBLE THE WATER (2008), INTO THE WILD (2007), SICKO (2007), HALF NELSON (2006), IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS (2006), CAPOTE (2005), MURDERBALL (2005), SIDEWAYS (2004) and THE AGRONOMIST (2004). The awards are also unique for their ability to assist in catapulting its Breakthrough Actor recipients prominently into national awards season attention, including recent winners and ultimate Oscar® contenders: Melissa Leo (2008), Ellen Page (2007), Rinko Kikuchi (2006), Amy Adams (2005) and Catalina Sandindo Moreno (2004).

Winners List of 2008 Gotham Independent Film Awards:

• Best Feature: “Frozen River”
• Best Documentary: “Trouble the Water”
• Best Ensemble Performance (Tied): “Synecdoche, New York” & “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
• Best Documentary Film (Best Documentary Feature): “Trouble the Water
  
• Breakthrough Director: Lance Hammer, “Ballast”
• Breakthrough Actor: Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
• Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You: “Sita Sings the Blues”

Winners List of 2007 Gotham Independent Film Awards:

• Best Feature: Into the Wild
• Best Documentary: Sicko
• Breakthrough Actor: Ellen Page, Juno
• Breakthrough Director: Craig Zobel, Great World of Sound
• Best Ensemble Cast (tie): Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead & Talk to Me
• Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You: Frownland.