Brie Larson won the IFP Gotham Awards’ Best Actress Prize for her luminous performance in the social-work drama Short Term 12, beating out seeming front-runner Cate Blanchett as a modern-day Blanche DuBois in Blue Jasmine. (Both gave wonderful performances, of course, as did their fellow nominees Scarlett Johansson (Her), Amy Seimetz (Upstream Color), and Shailene Woodley (The Spectacular Now).
Larson is a former child actor, a go-to actress for love-interest and sisterly roles (21 Jump Street, Don Jon), and now, a rising star. But she displayed none of the hubris one might expect when she claimed her trophy. “This might be my only time accepting an award so I want to make sure I get everybody in,” she said.
The rest of the Gotham Awards were handed out to men, save for the tongue-twistingly titled Euphoria CK Spotlight on Women Filmmakers Live the Dream Grant, which was bestowed on Gita Pullapilly for her New England coming-of-age tale Beneath the Harvest Sky.
