The first awards of the Oscar season has kicked things off today with the 23rd annual Gotham Independent Film Awards announcing its nominees today. With the focus on US-based independent films (even more so than the aptly named Independent Spirit Awards), the nominees are unsurprisingly filled with some of our favorite up and comers and breakout stars of the year.
“12 Years a Slave,” set to be an Oscar juggernaut, led the way here with three nominations, for Best Feature, Best Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Best Breakthrough Actor (Lupita Nyong’o). Also nominated for Best Feature are festival favorites “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” “Before Midnight,” “Inside Llewyn Davis” and “Upstream Color.”
The Best Actress category is especially packed with younger actors this year, with Brie Larson of “Short Term 12″ and Shailene Woodley of “The Spectacular Now” getting well deserved recognition for their leading roles, while Scarlett Johansson is a surprise nominee for her role in Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut “Don Jon.” Cate Blanchett for “Blue Jasmine,” the Oscar frontrunner and Amy Seimetz for “Upstream Color” round out the category.
The most relevant category for us has always been Best Breakthrough and this year features another strong lineup in addition to Nyongo’s heartbreaking work in “12 Years.” Dane DeHaan is recognized for his searing turn in “Kill Your Darlings” while Michael B. Jordan gets a nod for his breakthrough role in “Fruitvale Station.” Kathryn Hahn is nominated for “Afternoon Delight” while Robin Weigert is also in for “Concussion.”
The awards will be handed out at a gala event on December 2nd and the full list of nominees can be seen below.
Best Feature
+ 12 Years a Slave
+ Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
+ Before Midnight
+ Inside Llewyn Davis
+ Upstream Color
Best Documentary
+ The Act of Killing
+ The Crash Reel
+ First Cousin Once Removed
+ Let the Fire Burn
+ Our Nixon
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
+ Ryan Coogler for Fruitvale Station
+ Adam Leon for Gimme the Loot
+ Alexandre Moors for Blue Caprice
+ Stacie Passon for Concussion
+ Amy Seimetz for Sun Don’t Shine
Best Actor
+ Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave
+ Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis
+ Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club
+ Robert Redford in All Is Lost
+ Isaiah Washington in Blue Caprice
Best Actress
+ Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine
+ Scarlett Johansson in Don Jon
+ Brie Larson in Short Term 12
+ Amy Seimetz in Upstream Color
+ Shailene Woodley in The Spectacular Now
Breakthrough Actor
+ Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings
+ Kathryn Hahn in Afternoon Delight
+ Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale Station
+ Lupita Nyong’o in 12 Years a Slave
+ Robin Weigert in Concussion
The post Gotham Awards Nominates Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Shailene Woodley, Dane DeHaan and More appeared first on Up and Comers.