"Moonrise Kingdom" wins top prize at Gotham Film Awards

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Gotham Independent Film Awards kicked off honors season in New York on Monday, November 26 night with the best feature film honor going to Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom", TheWrap said.

"Beasts of the Southern Wild" was nominated in three different categories but after Jared Leto's "Artifact" claimed the Audience Award at the start of the evening, the Fox Searchlight Pictures release wouldn't sweep. First-time feature director Benh Zeitlin still managed to have a pretty good night, though. Zeitlin won Best Director before taking the stage one more time to be honored with the Bingham Ray Award.

Comedian-turned-filmmaker Mike Birbiglia ("Sleepwalk With Me") hosted the show, but was beaten in the Best Actor category by Emayatzy Corinealdi for her breakthrough performance in "Middle of Nowhere."

Perhaps the biggest shock of the night was the fact that Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" -- a strong critics favorite since the fall festivals -- and David O. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook" -- a critical and audience favorite since its debut at the Toronto Film Festival -- didn't take home any awards. Both are expected to have a presence in this year's Oscars race.

"Silver Linings Playbook" lost in the Best Ensemble Performance category to Emily Blunt, Rosemarie Dewitt, Mark Duplass for "Your Sisters Sister." "The Master" lost in the Best Feature category to "Moonrise Kingdom," which had been seen as a longshot contender for the Academy Awards.

Russell received a fervent round of applause when he took the stage during the annual ceremony for a tribute to his work over the years. Similarly, Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard and philanthropist Jeff Skoll of Participant Media were also honored.

David France's "How to Survive a Plague" took home top honors for Best Documentary and Terence Nance's "An Oversimplification of Her Beauty" won Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You.