The 2016 Gotham Awards, hosted by the Independent Filmmaker Project, put “Moonlight” front and center on Monday night.
The powerful Barry Jenkins coming-of-age tale emerged the big winner of the evening, taking Best Feature, Best Screenplay, the Audience Award and a special prize for its acting ensemble.
Mahershala Ali accepted on behalf of the troupe. Also present on stage with the actor were his costars Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes, Andre Holland, Ashton Sanders, Alex Hibbert and Jaden Piner.
Best Documentary went to the critically beloved ESPN project “O.J. Simpson: Made in America.”
The acting categories saw an expected win for Sundance darling (and recent lightning rod) Casey Affleck for his turn in “Manchester by the Sea.” French legend Isabelle Huppert was a dark horse champion for her dark and compelling “Elle.”
In addition to categories like Best Feature, Actor and Actress, the show included special tributes to actors Amy Adams and Ethan Hawke, director Oliver Stone and producer Arnon Milchan.
The show took place at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, and was hosted by “Don’t Think Twice” star Keegan-Michael Key.
In the 12 years since the Gothams have introduced the Best Feature category, the winner has gone on to win the Best Picture Oscar only three times — but all three of those have been in the last seven years, including the last two years in a row with “Birdman” in 2014 and “Spotlight” in 2015.
The winners indicated by *WINNER.
Best Feature
“Certain Women”
“Everybody Wants Some!!”
“Manchester by the Sea”
“Moonlight” *WINNER
“Paterson”
Best Documentary
“Cameraperson”
“I Am Not Your Negro”
“O.J.: Made in America” *WINNER
“Tower”
“Weiner”
Audience Award
“Moonlight” * WINNER
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Robert Eggers for “The Witch”
Anna Rose Holmer for “The Fits”
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert for “Swiss Army Man”
Trey Edward Shults for “Krisha” *WINNER
Richard Tanne for “Southside with You”
Best Screenplay
“Hell or High Water,” Taylor Sheridan
“Love & Friendship,” Whit Stillman
“Manchester by the Sea,” Kenneth Lonergan
“Moonlight,” Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney; Screenplay by Barry Jenkins *WINNER
“Paterson,” Jim Jarmusch
Best Actor
Casey Affleck in “Manchester by the Sea” *WINNER
Jeff Bridges in “Hell or High Water”
Adam Driver in “Paterson”
Joel Edgerton in “Loving”
Craig Robinson in “Morris from America”
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”