The Gotham Awards' nominees for best film of 2020 were all directed by women
Female directors are taking center stage as 2020's awards season begins.
The Gotham Awards, which recognizes independent films and is one of a number of awards shows that takes place each year prior to the Oscars, unveiled its 2020 nominees on Thursday, and for the first time ever, all five of the films nominated for Best Feature were directed by women, reports Variety.
The nominees in the top category were Kitty Green's The Assistant, Kelly Reichardt's First Cow, Eliza Hittman's Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Chloé Zhao's Nomadland, and Natalie Erika James' Relic.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Films that pick up nods at the Gotham Awards don't always go on to receive Oscars love; of the five movies nominated for Best Feature by the Gotham Awards last year, just one, Marriage Story, was ultimately nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Still, in an unusual year that has seen many splashy film releases delayed due to COVID-19, pundits believe there may be room for movies that might ordinarily get overlooked by the Oscars, including Nomadland, to fare well and potentially even win the top prize.
The Academy has also famously been criticized for repeatedly overlooking women for Best Director at the Oscars, and just five female directors have ever been nominated in that category. At the most recent Oscars, no women were nominated for Best Director. But for the 2021 Oscars, with contenders including Reichardt and Zhao as well as Regina King among others, another all-male category seems unlikely.
The 30th Gotham Awards are scheduled for Jan. 11.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published