The 2025 Gotham Awards were held Monday night at a black tie affair at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. See the complete winners list below.
Jafar Panahi‘s It Was Just an Accident was the big winner of the evening, claiming a leading three trophies for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature. The French movie, which received the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May, tells the story of a small mishap that triggers a chain reaction of ever-growing problems.
Other Gotham champions included Harry Lighton (Pillion) for Best Adapted Screenplay, Akinola Davies Jr. (My Father’s Shadow) for Best Breakthrough Director, and My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow for Best Documentary Feature.
In 2021, the Gothams did away with the traditional four acting categories (lead actor and actress, supporting actor and actress), and now only have two gender-neutral awards for Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance. Dìrísù foothills (My Father’s Shadow) won the lead prize, while Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners) claimed supporting. In addition, there is a Best Breakthrough Performer statuette for buzzy newcomers, with Abou Sangaré (Souleymane’s Story) pulling out a victory there.
The first official awards show of film season, the Gothams have tried to position themselves as a key Oscar bellwether. Since they began awarding Best Feature prizes in 2004, six movies — Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), Nomadland (2020), Moonlight (2016), Spotlight (2015), Birdman (2014), and The Hurt Locker (2009) — prevailed here before later claiming Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
The Gotham Film & Media Institute announced this year’s nominations on Oct. 28, with One Battle After Another leading the field with a record six bids. That was followed by If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with four noms, and It Was Just an Accident and No Other Choice with three apiece.
Two years ago, the Gotham Awards removed the spending limit on films eligible for submission. This change scraps the old $35 million budget cap, opening the door for major studio productions to compete alongside independent movies.
In between handing out competitive awards, the institute presented the inaugural Gotham Musical Tribute to Song Sung Blue‘s Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman; the Director Tribute to Jay Kelly‘s Noah Baumbach; the Spotlight Tribute to Hedda‘s Tessa Thompson; the Ensemble Tribute to the Sinners cast; the Vanguard Tribute to Guillermo del Toro‘s Frankenstein; the Cultural Icon Tribute to Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere‘s Jeremy Allen White and Scott Cooper; and the Visionary Tribute to After the Hunt‘s Luca Guadagnino and Julia Roberts.
Note: two films that expect to be part of the ongoing awards conversation — Marty Supreme and Is This Thing On? — were not ready in time to be considered by Gotham voters. But they are both eligible at upcoming events like the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, Actor Awards, and Oscars.
2025 Gotham Awards: Red carpet arrival photos
Here is the complete winners list for the 2025 Gotham Awards in all 10 categories:
Best Feature
Bugonia
East of Wall
Familiar Touch
Hamnet
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Lurker
One Battle After Another
Sorry, Baby
The Testament of Ann Lee
Train Dreams
Best Director
Mary Bronstein, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
[winner] Jafar Panahi, It Was Just an Accident
Kelly Reichardt, The Mastermind
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Oliver Laxe, Sirât
Best Documentary Feature
2000 Meters to Andriivka
BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
[winner] My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow
The Perfect Neighbor
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk
Best International Feature
[winner] It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
New wave
Resurrection
Sound of Falling
Best Adapted Screenplay
No Other ChoicePark Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee, and Don McKellar
One Battle After AnotherPaul Thomas Anderson
[winner] PillionHarry Lighton
Preparation for the Next LifeMartyna Majok
Train DreamsClint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
Best Original Screenplay
If I Had Legs I’d Kick YouMary Bronstein
[winner] It Was Just an AccidentJafar Panahi
The Secret AgentKleber Mendonça Filho
Sorry, BabyEva Victor
Sound of FallingMascha Schilinski and Louise Peter
Best Lead Performance
Jessie Buckley, Hamnet
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Lee Byung Hun, No Other Choice
[winner] Dìrísù foothills, My Father’s Shadow
Ethan Hawke, Blue Moon
Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love
Wagner Moura, The Secret Agent
Josh O’Connor, The Mastermind
Amanda Seyfried, The Testament of Ann Lee
Tessa Thompson, Hedda
Best Supporting Performance
Benicio del Toro, One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi, Frankenstein
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
India Moore, Father Mother Sister Brother
[winner] Wunmi Mosaku, Sinners
Adam Sandler, Jay Kelly
Andrew Scott, Blue Moon
Alexander Skarsgård, Pillion
Stellan Skarsgård, Sentimental Value
Teyana Taylor, One Battle After Another
Best Breakthrough Performer
A$AP Rocky, Highest 2 Lowest
Better yourself, Preparation for the Next Life
Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
[winner] Abou Sangaré, Souleymane’s Story
Tonatiuh, Kiss of the Spider Woman
Best Breakthrough Director
Constance Tsang, Blue Sun Palace
Carson Lund, Eephus
Sarah Friedland, Familiar Touch
[winner] Akinola Davies Jr., My Father’s Shadow
Harris Dickinson, Urchin
