NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� 鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once" won best feature at the 32nd Gotham Awards on Monday, taking one of the first major prizes of Hollywood's awards season and boosting the Oscar hopes of the anarchic indie hit of the year.
Also taking an award for his work on the film was Ke Huy Quan, the 鈥淚ndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom鈥� child star who made a lauded comeback in 鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once" and won for best supporting actor.
鈥淭his time last year, all I was hoping for was a job,鈥� said an emotional Quan who had nearly given up acting before landing his role in the film. 鈥淔or the first time in a very long time, I was given a second chance.鈥�
The Gotham Awards, held annually at Cipriani Wall Street, serve as a downtown celebration of independent film and an unofficial kickoff of the long marathon of ceremonies, cocktail parties and campaigning that lead up to the Academy Awards in March. Presented by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, the Gothams last year while also, with an award for Troy Kotsur, starting 鈥淐ODA鈥� on
But aside from any possible influence, the Gothams are also just a star-studded party that gets the industry back into the awards-season swing. Last year's ceremony was the first fully in-person award show for many after This year, the Gothams were held amid mounting concern over the tepid box-office results for many of the top awards contenders. Though moviegoing has recovered much of the ground it lost during the pandemic, adult audiences have inconsistently materialized in theaters this fall.
But in feting 鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once,鈥� the metaverse-skipping action adventure directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheiner, the filmmaking duo known as 鈥渢he Daniels," the Gothams selected an unlikely runaway success. Released in March, 鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once鈥� made more than $100 million worldwide against a $14 million budget, making it A24's highest grossing film. The warm affection for the absurdist film now has it poised to potentially play underdog at the Oscars. The film also recently
鈥淭his movie has been celebrated by the Asian American community, by the immigrant community, by people with weird brains, people who are overwhelmed or sad,鈥� said Scheiner accepting the award with his filmmaking partner. 鈥淭his award is for you guys. Your stories matter. You matter.鈥�
While the Gothams are known for exalting the hardscrabble pursuit of lower budget filmmaking, one of its many tribute awards went to another box-office force in Adam Sandler. The 56-year-old actor-comedian, who this year starred in the well-received Netflix basketball drama-comedy 鈥淗ustle,鈥� provided the night's most raucous speech, after an introduction by 鈥淯ncut Gems鈥� filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie.
Sandler, explaining that he had been too busy to prepare remarks, claimed his speech was written by his two daughters. His career, as he read, was launched with two guiding principles: 鈥淧eople in prison need movies, too," and: 鈥淭BS needs content.鈥�
The Gotham award, Sandler read, 鈥渕eans a lot to him seeing as most of the awards on his trophy shelf are shaped like popcorn buckets, blimps or fake mini Oscars that say Father of the Year which he sadly purchased himself while wandering in a self-pitying fog through the head shops of Time鈥檚 Square.鈥�
The Gothams give gender neutral acting awards, which meant that some awards favorites this year that wouldn't normally be head-to-head, like Brendan Fraser ("The Whale") and Cate Blanchett (鈥淭谩r"), were up against each other. Todd Fields鈥� 鈥淭谩r,鈥� starring Blanchett as a renowned conductor, came into the Gothams with a leading five nominations and went home with an award for Fields' screenplay.
鈥淭ill鈥� star Danielle Deadwyler ultimately prevailed in the crowded lead acting category. Deadwyler, who plays Mamie Till-Bradley in the piercing drama, wasn't able to attend the ceremony. 鈥淭ill鈥� director Chinonye Chukwu accepted on her behalf.
Deadwyler's win should add momentum to her Oscar chances, as should the award for Quan, who is best known as the child star of 鈥淭he Goonies鈥� and 鈥淭emple of Doom."
The breakthrough director award went to Charlotte Wells for 鈥淎ftersun,鈥� about a father (Paul Mescal) and daughter (Frankie Corio) on vacation. 鈥淎ftersun鈥� also earned a shoutout from Daniel Kwan who said 鈥淎ftersun鈥� should have won best feature, not 鈥淓verything Everywhere All at Once.鈥�
Steven Spielberg had been scheduled to introduce a tribute award for Michelle Williams, star of Spielberg's 鈥淭he Fabelmans." Filling in was Williams' co-star Paul Dano, who said Spielberg tested positive for COVID-19. Williams spent much of her speech reflecting on how instrumental 鈥淒awson's Creek鈥� co-star Mary Beth Peil was to her as a young actor. Williams was also visibly stunned by a standing ovation.
鈥淲hat is happening?鈥� said a wide-eyed Williams. 鈥淚 shouldn鈥檛 even be out of the house. I just had a baby.鈥�
Other winners included Audrey Diwan's 鈥淗appening" for best international feature. The French abortion drama, set in 1963 France, 鈥淎ll That Breathes," Shaunak Sen's film about a New Dehli bird hospital, took best documentary.
Tribute honorees also included Focus Features' Peter Kujawski and Jason Cassidy, and a thunderous tribute to the late Sidney Poitier by Jonathan Majors, who announced a new initiative in Poitier's name to help young filmmakers. 鈥淏ravo, Mr. Poitier," Majors said. 鈥淲e got your back.鈥�
Gina Prince-Bythewood, , was also honored after being introduced by Katheryn Bigelow. Prince-Bythewood said the 鈥淗urt Locker鈥� filmmaker inspired her to believe she could be a director. 鈥淜athryn was my possible,鈥� said Prince-Bythewood.
"When you see the trailer to 鈥楾he Woman King,鈥� do you see incredible women or do you see other? Do you see incredible women to be inspired by or do you see other?" said Prince-Bythewood. "I want you to see yourself in my characters the same way I see myself in yours."
___
Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at:
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
