Gotham Awards 2025 opened the film-awards season with an electric mix of upsets, powerhouse wins and indie breakthroughs — all unfolding at the iconic Cipriani Wall Street. This year’s ceremony which is 35th edition of the awards, presented by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, marked its third edition without the earlier budget cap that once limited eligibility to films under $35 million. The expanded playing field made the night fiercer, flashier and full of surprises.
At the center of it all was Paul Thomas Anderson, whose sprawling action epic One Battle After Another emerged victorious, winning Best Feature — the sole award out of its record-setting six nominations. Produced in collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures, the film’s win reinforces Anderson’s place among the most influential filmmakers shaping contemporary American cinema.
But the night truly belonged to Jafar Panahi, the globally revered Iranian auteur. His film It Was Just an Accident, backed by Neon, scored a stunning hat-trick: Best International Feature, Best Original Screenplay and Best Director. Panahi’s triple victory instantly positions the film as a major awards-season contender, echoing past Gotham winners like Spotlight, Moonlight and Everything Everywhere All at Once — all of which later ascended to Oscar glory.
The Gotham Awards have always balanced competition with celebration, and this year was no exception. One of the biggest spotlights fell on Netflix’s Frankenstein, where filmmaker Guillermo del Toro delivered the night’s most fiery moment, loudly declaring “Fuck AI” during his tribute speech — drawing roaring applause from a room deeply invested in human creativity.
In another memorable highlight, Adam Sandler took the stage with co-writer Emily Mortimer to honor director Noah Baumbach, offering a mix of hilarity and warmth that set the tone for the evening.
Among the biggest surprises was the self-distributed My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow, written, directed and produced by Julia Loktev, which unexpectedly rose from the indie margins to take a major Documentary Feature award slot.
Meanwhile, A24 — always a Gotham Awards staple — added to its growing prestige with Pillion, which secured Best Adapted Screenplay for Harry Lighton, beating out heavyweight contenders and reaffirming the distributor’s reputation for championing breakout storytelling.
Acting Categories Deliver Unexpected Turns, all three acting winners were notably absent from the ceremony:
Sopé Dìrísù won Outstanding Lead Performance for the Mubi title My Father’s Shadow.
Wunmi Mosaku earned Outstanding Supporting Performance for Sinners, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Abou Sangaré claimed Breakthrough Performer for Souleymane’s Story, a critically acclaimed release from Kino Lorber.
Their wins reflect a trend consistent with Gotham’s ethos: spotlighting performances rooted in emotional truth, indie grit, and global cinematic voices.
This year’s Best Feature contenders showcased a remarkable breadth — from the surreal provocation of Bugonia (produced by an ensemble including Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone) to the intimate drama of Familiar Touch, the Shakespearean reimagining Hamnet (produced by Steven Spielberg) and the haunting romantic saga The Testament of Ann Lee, distributed by Searchlight Pictures.
But ultimately, it was Anderson’s One Battle After Another that rose above the crowd — not just because of its scale, but because Gotham voters have increasingly embraced films that blend blockbuster sensibilities with auteur-driven craft.
Panahi’s dominance was echoed across a vibrant international field, including standout contenders such as No Other Choice from auteur Park Chan-wook and Janus Films–distributed Resurrection. The strong global representation reaffirmed Gotham’s expanding influence as a launching pad for international films seeking wider North American recognition.
The Gotham Awards delivered 2025 a clear message: bold voices, fearless storytelling and uncompromised artistic vision are driving this year’s awards season.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s cinematic spectacle claimed the top honor, while Jafar Panahi’s triple win redefined the evening’s narrative — setting both filmmakers firmly on the road to the Oscars. Add to it the indie disruptors, the political statements, the high-voltage tributes and the unexpected absences in the acting categories, and you have a ceremony that felt alive, unpredictable and deeply reflective of today’s cinematic moment.
The race has officially begun — and if the Gotham Awards are any indication, this awards season will be one for the books.
