“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” was named Breakthrough Series — Long Form at the annual IFP Gotham Independent Film Awards, held last night in NY. Created by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna, the musical comedy stars the former as a self-destructive, fantasy-prone lawyer in pursuit of love and happiness. The CW series is now in its second season. Netflix’s noir superhero series “Jessica Jones,” created by Melissa Rosenberg, was also up for the award, as was Starz’ anthology drama “The Girlfriend Experience,” co-created by Amy Seimetz.
Another female-led show received the trophy for Breakthrough Series — Short Form: “Her Story,” a new-media series exploring the dating lives of trans and queer women, created by Jen Richards and Laura Zak.
Isabelle Huppert nabbed the Best Actress award for her performance in “Elle,” a controversial psychological thriller. “I’m breathless. I’m speechless,” Huppert admitted at the podium. “I didn’t expect that to happen, I promise. They told me it’s an American award: ‘You’re French, and you’ll never get it.’”
Anya Taylor-Joy was named Breakthrough Actor for her performance in the “The Witch,” a period horror film about a Puritan family dealing with evil forces in their remote farm house and its surrounding woods.
The Ensemble Cast Award went to “Moonlight,” a drama that follows its gay, black protagonist from childhood to adulthood. Naomie Harris’ portrayal of the lead’s mother, a drug addict, is likely to lead to an Oscar nomination for the English actress.
A number of women-directed features received nominations in various categories, including Kelly Reichardt’s ensemble drama “Certain Women” for Best Feature, and Kirsten Johnson’s visual memoir “Cameraperson” for Best Documentary. The TV world tends to be more welcoming to women, both behind the scenes and onscreen, so it comes as no surprise that women had more success in the TV categories at the Gotham Awards. (Compare the number of female Emmy nominees and winners vs. female Oscar nominees and winners in recent years.)
Check out the women awardees below. List adapted from TheWrap.
Best Actress
Kate Beckinsale in “Love & Friendship”
Annette Bening in “20th Century Women”
Isabelle Huppert in “Elle” *WINNER
Ruth Negga in “Loving”
Natalie Portman in “Jackie”
Breakthrough Actor
Lily Gladstone in “Certain Women”
Lucas Hedges in “Manchester by the Sea”
Royalty Hightower in “The Fits”
Sasha Lane in “American Honey”
Anya Taylor-Joy in “The Witch” *WINNER
Ensemble Cast Award
“Moonlight” *WINNER
Breakthrough Series — Long Form
“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” *WINNER
“The Girlfriend Experience”
“Horace and Pete”
“Marvel’s Jessica Jones”
“Master of None”
Breakthrough Series — Short Form
“The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo”
“Her Story” *WINNER
“The Movement”
“Sitting in Bathrooms with Trans People”
“Surviving”
