A trio of actresses and a web series duo were the only creative female honorees of last night’s 25th Gotham Independent Film Awards.
“The Diary of a Teenage Girl” was nominated in four categories, but only lead actress Bel Powley took home a trophy last night. Also making it to the podium were “Tangerine” actress Mya Taylor, who received the (non-gendered) Breakthrough Actor award, and Helen Mirren, who was honored with an industry tribute for her body of work.
“Tangerine” also took home the Independent Film Project audience award. “I don’t care about winning best picture, best director, any of that stuff, but I do care about my two lead actresses getting the recognition they deserve and them being able to parlay this into the future,” “Tangerine” director Sean Baker said. “That’s really the only thing I’m thinking about.”
He added, “I’m a cisgender white guy telling a story about two trans women of color who are sex workers. The next film that’s done about this should be directed or written by a trans woman of color.”
This year’s Gothams were the first to recognize breakthrough TV series. Creators Nadia Manzoor and Radhika Vaz won the short-form TV prize for their web series “Shugs and Fats,” a comedy about two Muslim women in Brooklyn.
Ellen Cotter also received a Gotham appreciation award for her work in theatrical distribution, especially as a leader of the Angelika Film Centers.
[via THR]