Gotham Independent Film Awards 2008

Last updated
18th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards
DateDecember 2, 2008 (2008-12-02)
CountryUnited States
Presented by Independent Filmmaker Project
Hosted by Aasif Mandvi
Highlights
Best Feature: Frozen River
Breakthrough Director: Lance Hammer – Ballast

The 18th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards, presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project, were held on December 2, 2008. [1] [2] The nominees were announced on October 20, 2008. [3] [4] [5] The ceremony was hosted by Aasif Mandvi. [6]

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) is the name for a series of membership-based, not-for-profit organizations that produce programs that assist independent filmmakers in connecting with film-industry professionals and, ultimately, audiences.

Aasif Mandvi British-American actor, comedian

Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, known professionally as Aasif Mandvi, is a British-American actor and comedian. He began appearing as an occasional contributing correspondent on The Daily Show on August 9, 2006. On March 12, 2007, he was promoted to a regular correspondent. He is the lead actor, co-writer and producer of the web series Halal in the Family, which premiered on Funny or Die in 2015, and an actor, writer and co-producer of the HBO comedy series The Brink. Mandvi is also the author of the book No Land's Man. In June 2019, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree by the Macaulay Honors College after delivering the commencement speech that year.

Contents

Winners and nominees

Best Feature

Frozen River

<i>Ballast</i> (film) 2008 film by Lance Hammer

Ballast is a 2008 film directed by Lance Hammer. It competed in the Dramatic category at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography. The film received six nominations in the 2009 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

<i>Synecdoche, New York</i> 2008 film by Charlie Kaufman

Synecdoche, New York is a 2008 American postmodern drama film written and directed by Charlie Kaufman and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman. It is Kaufman's directorial debut.

<i>The Visitor</i> (2007 drama film) 2007 film by Thomas McCarthy

The Visitor is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Tom McCarthy and produced by Michael London and Mary Jane Skalski. Executive producers were Jeff Skoll and Omar Amanat. The screenplay focuses on a lonely man in late middle age whose life changes when a chance encounter with an immigrant couple forces him to face issues relating to identity, immigration, and cross-cultural communication in post-9/11 New York City.

Best Documentary

Trouble the Water

<i>Chris & Don</i> 2007 film by Guido Santi

Chris & Don: A Love Story is a 2007 documentary film that chronicles the lifelong relationship between author Christopher Isherwood and his much younger lover, artist Don Bachardy. Chris & Don combines present-day interviews, archival footage shot by the couple from the 1950s, excerpts from Isherwood's diaries, and playful animations to recount their romance. It was directed by Guido Santi and Tina Mascara, and was the centerpiece film at NewFest, the New York LGBTQ Film Festival, in 2008.

<i>Encounters at the End of the World</i> 2007 Documentary film directed by Werner Herzog

Encounters at the End of the World is a 2007 American documentary film by Werner Herzog. The film studies people and places in Antarctica. It was released in North America on June 11, 2008, and distributed by THINKFilm.

<i>Man on Wire</i> 2008 documentary film directed by James Marsh

Man on Wire is a 2008 British-American biographical documentary film directed by James Marsh. The film chronicles Philippe Petit's 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center. It is based on Petit's book, To Reach the Clouds, released in paperback with the title Man on Wire. The title of the film is taken from the police report that led to the arrest of Petit, whose performance had lasted for almost one hour. The film is crafted like a heist film, presenting rare footage of the preparations for the event and still photographs of the walk, alongside re-enactments and present-day interviews with the participants, including Barry Greenhouse, an insurance executive who served as the inside man.

Best Ensemble Performance

Synecdoche, New York (TIE)
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (TIE)

<i>Vicky Cristina Barcelona</i> 2008 film directed by Woody Allen

Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a 2008 romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. The plot centers on two American women, Vicky and Cristina, who spend a summer in Barcelona, where they meet an artist, Juan Antonio, who is attracted to both of them while still enamored of his mentally and emotionally unstable ex-wife María Elena. The film was shot in Spain in Barcelona, Avilés and Oviedo, and was Allen's fourth consecutive film shot outside the United States.

Breakthrough Actor

Melissa Leo – Frozen River

<i>August Evening</i> 2007 film

August Evening is a 2007 film following the relationship between an aging undocumented farm worker named Jaime and his young, widowed daughter-in-law, Lupe. It was written and directed by Chris Eska, and released theatrically on September 5, 2008. Principal photography on the film took place during five consecutive weeks in the late summer of 2005.

Rosemarie DeWitt American actress

Rosemarie Braddock DeWitt is an American actress. DeWitt played Emily Lehman in the Fox television series Standoff (2006–07), co-starring with her future husband Ron Livingston, as well as Charmaine Craine on United States of Tara. She also was the title character in 2008's Rachel Getting Married, garnering several awards and nominations for best supporting actress. She starred in the horror/thriller Poltergeist (2015), a remake of the 1982 film of the same name.

<i>Rachel Getting Married</i> 2008 American film by Jonathan Demme

Rachel Getting Married is a 2008 American drama film directed by Jonathan Demme, and starring Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, and Debra Winger. The film was released in the U.S. to select theaters on October 3, 2008. The film premiered at the 65th Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2008. The film also opened in Canada's Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2008. Hathaway received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance in the film.

Breakthrough Director

Lance Hammer – Ballast

<i>Afterschool</i> 2008 film by António Campos

Afterschool is a 2008 drama film filmed, written, and directed by Antonio Campos. Filmed at the Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut, Afterschool premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in the program Un Certain Regard. The film gained an Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award nomination for Campos and won the Jury Prize for experimental narrative film at the Nashville Film Festival.

<i>A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy</i> 2008 film

A Good Day to Be Black and Sexy is a 2008 film written, directed, produced and edited by Dennis Dortch. The film was originally screened at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and was eventually given a one-week release in one theater, earning $8,629 during its release. The film explores the subject of sexuality and relationships within the black community in this collection of six vignettes set in Los Angeles designed to shatter stereotypes about black sexuality.

Barry Jenkins American filmmaker

Barry Jenkins is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. After making his filmmaking debut with the short film My Josephine, Jenkins garnered positive notices for the independent feature Medicine for Melancholy (2008), receiving an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature among other award nominations.

Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You

Sita Sings the Blues

Gotham Tributes

Related Research Articles

Penélope Cruz Spanish actress

Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress and model. Signed by an agent at the age of 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television, and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón Jamón (1992). Her subsequent roles in the 1990s and 2000s included Belle Epoque (1992), Open Your Eyes (1997), The Hi-Lo Country (1999), The Girl of Your Dreams (2000) and Woman on Top (2000). Cruz achieved recognition for her lead roles in the 2001 films Vanilla Sky, All the Pretty Horses, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Blow.

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

The Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role is an award given by the Screen Actors Guild to honor the finest acting achievements in film.

The 15th Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards, presented by the Independent Filmmaker Project, were held on November 30, 2005 and were hosted by Kyra Sedgwick. The nominees were announced on October 25, 2005.

The 24th Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best in independent filmmaking for 2008, were announced on February 21, 2009. It was hosted by Steve Coogan.

The 80th National Board of Review Awards, honoring the best in film for 2008, were given on 12 January 2009.

The 34th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, given by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA), honored the best in film for 2008. Pixar's animated film WALL-E won the Best Film award and became the first-ever animated film to do so; however, the film lost the Best Animated Film award to Waltz with Bashir.

The 14th Critics' Choice Awards were presented on January 8, 2009 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, honoring the finest achievements of 2008 filmmaking. The nominees were announced on December 9, 2008.

The 74th New York Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in film for 2008, were announced on 10 December 2008 and presented on 5 January 2009.

The 29th Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, honoring the best in filmmaking in 2008, were given on December 14, 2008.

The 5th St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards were awarded on December 15, 2008.

The 12th Toronto Film Critics Association Awards, honoring the best in film for 2008, were given on December 17, 2008.

The 21st Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, given by the CFCA on December 18, 2008, honored the best in film for 2008. Disney/Pixar's WALL-E was the most successful film in the ceremony, winning four awards, including Best Film, out of five nominations. Slumdog Millionaire won three awards, while The Dark Knight and Let the Right One In won two awards each.

The 43rd National Society of Film Critics Awards, given on 3 January 2009, honored the best in film for 2008.

The 12th Online Film Critics Society Awards, honoring the best in film for 2008, were given on 19 January 2009.

The 29th London Film Critics Circle Awards, honouring the best in film for 2008, were announced by the London Film Critics Circle on 4 February 2009.

Penélope Cruz performances and awards

Penélope Cruz is a Spanish actress and model. She made her acting debut at the age of 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón Jamón (1992). Her subsequent roles in the 1990s and 2000s included Open Your Eyes (1997), The Hi-Lo Country (1999), The Girl of Your Dreams (2000) and Woman on Top (2000). Cruz achieved recognition for her lead roles in the 2001 films Vanilla Sky, All the Pretty Horses, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Blow. She has since appeared in films in a range of genres, including the comedy Waking Up in Reno (2002), the thriller Gothika (2003), the Christmas film Noel (2004), and the action adventure Sahara (2005). She was praised for her roles in Volver (2006) and Nine (2009), as well as for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), for which she subsequently won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The following list is her complete filmography.

This page lists the winners and nominees for the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. Academy Award-nominated or winning performances also honored with nominations or wins at the Black Reel Awards include Lupita Nyong'o, Queen Latifah (Chicago), Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls), Penélope Cruz, Taraji P. Henson, Viola Davis (Doubt), Mo'Nique (Precious), and Octavia Spencer.

The Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Feature is one of the annual Gotham Independent Film Awards and was first awarded in 2004.

References

  1. ↑ Itzkoff, Dave (December 3, 2008). "Gotham Award Winners". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  2. ↑ Hernandez, Lee (December 4, 2008). "Penélope Cruz honored at Gotham Awards". NY Daily News. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  3. ↑ Goldstein, Gregg (October 20, 2008). "'Ballast' tops Gotham indie award noms". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  4. ↑ Pompeo, Joe (August 20, 2008). "Penelope Cruz to Get Gotham Award Tribute". Observer. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ "2008 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards. Archived from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  6. ↑ Goldstein, Gregg (October 30, 2008). "Aasif Mandvi to host Gotham indie awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
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