âEverything 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 âIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doomâ child star who made a lauded comeback in âEverything Everywhere All at Once" and won for best supporting actor.
âThis time last year, all I was hoping for was a job,â said an emotional Quan who had nearly given up acting before landing his role in the film. âFor the first time in a very long time, I was given a second chance.â
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, parties and campaigning that lead up to the Academy Awards in March. Presented by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, the Gothams last year heaped awards on Maggie Gyllenhaal's âThe Lost Daughterâ while also, with an award for Troy Kotsur, starting âCODAâ on its way to best picture.
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 a largely virtual 2020-2021 pandemic-marred season.
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 âEverything Everywhere All at Once,â the metaverse-skipping action adventure directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheiner, the filmmaking duo known as âthe Daniels,â the Gothams selected an unlikely runaway success.
Released in March, âEverything Everywhere All at Onceâ 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 led nominations to the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
âThis movie has been celebrated by the Asian American community, by the immigrant community, by people with weird brains, people who are overwhelmed or sad,â said Scheiner accepting the award with his filmmaking partner. âThis award is for you guys. Your stories matter. You matter.â
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 âHustle,â provided the night's most raucous speech, after an introduction by âUncut Gemsâ 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: âPeople in prison need movies, too," and: âTBS needs content.â
The Gotham award, Sandler read, âmeans 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 wondering in a self-pitying fog through the head shops of Timeâs Square.â
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 (âThe Whaleâ) and Cate Blanchett (âTĂĄrâ), were up against each other. Todd Fieldsâ âTĂĄr,â starring Blanchett as a renowned conductor, came into the Gothams with a leading five nominations and went home with an award for Fields' screenplay.
But âTillâ 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. âTillâ 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 âThe Gooniesâ and âTemple of Doom."
The breakthrough director award went to Charlotte Wells for âAftersun,â the Scottish filmmaker's tender, devastating debut about a father (Paul Mescal) and daughter (Frankie Corio) on vacation. âAftersunâ also earned a shoutout from Daniel Kwan who said âAftersunâ should have won best feature, not âEverything Everywhere All at Once.â
Steven Spielberg had been scheduled to introduce a tribute award for Michelle Williams, star of Spielberg's âThe Fabelmans.â 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 âDawson's Creekâ co-star Mary Beth Peil was to her as a young actor. Williams was also visibly stunned by a standing ovation.
âWhat is happening?â said a wide-eyed Williams. âI shouldnât even be out of the house. I just had a baby.â
Other winners included Audrey Diwan's âHappeningâ for best international feature. The French abortion drama, set in 1963 France, took on added relevance after the repeal in the United States of Roe v. Wade. âAll That Breathes,â Shaunak Sen's film about a New Delhi 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. âBravo, Mr. Poitier,â Majors said. âWe got your back.â
Gina Prince-Bythewood, âThe Woman Kingâ filmmaker, was also honored after being introduced by Katheryn Bigelow. Prince-Bythewood said the âHurt Lockerâ filmmaker inspired her to believe she could be a director. âKathryn was my possible,â said Prince-Bythewood.
"When you see the trailer to âThe Woman King,â do you see incredible women or do you see other? Do you see incredible women to be inspired by or do you see other?â said Prince-Bythewood. âI want you to see yourself in my characters the same way I see myself in yours.â