Surf Wiki
Save to docs
arts

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director

Annual US film award

Summary

Annual US film award

FieldValue
nameGotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director
imageAkinola_Davies_at_2025_Cannes_Photocall_for_My_Father's_Shadow_2.jpg
caption2025 recipient: Akinola Davies Jr.
presenterThe Gotham Film & Media Institute
countryUnited States
yearJennie Livingston for Paris Is Burning (1991)
holderAkinola Davies Jr. for My Father's Shadow (2025)
website

The Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award is one of the annual Gotham Independent Film Awards and honors feature film directorial debuts. Named after Bingham Ray since 2013, the breakthrough director award was first given in 1991 as the Open Palm Award, with Jennie Livingston being the first recipient of the award, for her work in Paris Is Burning. From 1991 to 1996 only the winner was announced, since 1997, a set of 5 to 6 nominees is presented annually.

Winners and nominees

1990s

YearDirector(s)FilmRef.199119921993199419951996199719981999
Jennie Livingston*Paris Is Burning*
Tom Kalin*Swoon*
Leslie Harris*Just Another Girl on the I.R.T.*
Rose Troche*Go Fish*
Rebecca Miller*Angela*
Lisa Krueger*Manny & Lo*
Macky Alston*Family Name*
Morgan J. FreemanHurricane Streets
John O'HaganWonderland
Ira SachsThe Delta
Alex SichelAll Over Me
Darren Aronofsky*Pi*
Lisa CholodenkoHigh Art
Chris EyreSmoke Signals
Vincent GalloBuffalo '66
Harmony KorineGummo
David Riker*The City*
Tim KirkmanDear Jesse
Eric MendelsohnJudy Berlin
Mark Polish and Michael PolishTwin Falls Idaho
Frank WhaleyJoe the King

2000s

YearDirector(s)FilmRef.2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
Karyn Kusama*Girlfight*
Bruno de AlmeidaOn the Run
Myles ConnellThe Opportunists
Tom GilroySpring Forward
Kenneth LonerganYou Can Count on Me
Henry Bean*The Believer*
John Cameron Mitchell*Hedwig and the Angry Inch*
Michael CuestaL.I.E.
Daniel MinahanSeries 7: The Contenders
Randy RedroadThe Doe Boy
David WainWet Hot American Summer
Eric Eason*Manito*
Bertha Bay-Sa PanFace
Ethan HawkeChelsea Walls
Moisés KaufmanThe Laramie Project
Peter MatteiLove in the Time of Money
Fisher StevensJust a Kiss
Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini*American Splendor*
Alfredo De VillaWashington Heights
Peter HedgesPieces of April
Dylan KiddRoger Dodger
Tom McCarthyThe Station Agent
Peter SollettRaising Victor Vargas
Joshua Marston*Maria Full of Grace*
Rodney EvansBrother to Brother
Debra GranikDown to the Bone
Nicole KassellThe Woodsman
Lori Silverbush and Michael SkolnikOn the Outs
Bennett Miller*Capote*
Miranda JulyMe and You and Everyone We Know
Phil MorrisonJunebug
Andrew WagnerThe Talent Given Us
Alice WuSaving Face
Ryan Fleck*Half Nelson*
Ramin BahraniMan Push Cart
Laurie CollyerSherrybaby
So Yong KimIn Between Days
James MarshThe King
Craig Zobel*Great World of Sound*
Lee Isaac ChungMunyurangabo
Stephane GaugerOwl and the Sparrow
Julia LoktevDay Night Day Night
David Von AnckenSeraphim Falls
Lance Hammer*Ballast*
Antonio CamposAfterschool
Dennis DortchA Good Day to Be Black and Sexy
Barry JenkinsMedicine for Melancholy
Alex RiveraSleep Dealer
Robert D. Siegel*Big Fan*
Cruz AngelesDon't Let Me Drown
Frazer BradshawEverything Strange and New
Noah BuschelThe Missing Person
Derick MartiniLymelife

2010s

YearDirector(s)FilmRef.2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Kevin Asch*Holy Rollers*
Lena DunhamTiny Furniture
Glenn Ficarra and John RequaI Love You Phillip Morris
Tanya HamiltonNight Catches Us
John WellsThe Company Men
Dee Rees*Pariah*
Mike CahillAnother Earth
Sean DurkinMartha Marcy May Marlene
Vera FarmigaHigher Ground
Evan GlodellBellflower
Benh Zeitlin*Beasts of the Southern Wild*
Zal BatmanglijSound of My Voice
Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie ShatzkyFrancine
Jason Cortlund and Julia HalperinNow, Forager
Antonio Méndez EsparzaAquí y allá
Ryan Coogler*Fruitvale Station*
Adam LeonGimme the Loot
Alexandre MoorsBlue Caprice
Stacie PassonConcussion
Amy SeimetzSun Don't Shine
Ana Lily Amirpour*A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night*
James Ward ByrkitCoherence
Dan GilroyNightcrawler
Eliza HittmanIt Felt Like Love
Justin SimienDear White People
Jonas Carpignano*Mediterranea*
Desiree AkhavanAppropriate Behavior
Marielle HellerThe Diary of a Teenage Girl
John MagaryThe Mend
Josh MondJames White
Trey Edward Shults*Krisha*
Robert EggersThe Witch
Anna Rose HolmerThe Fits
Daniel Kwan and Daniel ScheinertSwiss Army Man
Richard TanneSouthside with You
Jordan Peele*Get Out*
Maggie BettsNovitiate
Greta GerwigLady Bird
KogonadaColumbus
Joshua Z WeinsteinMenashe
Bo Burnham*Eighth Grade*
Ari AsterHereditary
Jennifer FoxThe Tale
Crystal MoselleSkate Kitchen
Boots RileySorry to Bother You
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre*The Mustang*
Kent JonesDiane
Joe TalbotThe Last Black Man in San Francisco
Olivia WildeBooksmart
Phillip YoumansBurning Cane

2020s

YearDirector(s)FilmRef.202020212022202320242025
Andrew Patterson*The Vast of Night*
Radha BlankThe Forty-Year-Old Version
Channing Godfrey PeoplesMiss Juneteenth
Carlo Mirabella-DavisSwallow
Alex ThompsonSaint Frances
Maggie Gyllenhaal*The Lost Daughter*
Shatara Michelle FordTest Pattern
Rebecca HallPassing
Edson OdaNine Days
Emma SeligmanShiva Baby
Charlotte Wells*Aftersun*
Elegance BrattonThe Inspection
Beth de AraújoSoft & Quiet
Owen KlineFunny Pages
Antoneta Alamat KusijanovićMurina
Jane SchoenbrunWe're All Going to the World's Fair
A. V. Rockwell*A Thousand and One*
Michelle Garza CerveraHuesera: The Bone Woman
Raven JacksonAll Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
Georgia OakleyBlue Jean
Celine SongPast Lives
Vera Drew*The People's Joker*
India DonaldsonGood One
Mahdi FleifelTo a Land Unknown
Alessandra LacorazzaIn the Summers
Shuchi TalatiGirls Will Be Girls
Akinola Davies Jr.*My Father's Shadow*
Constance TsangBlue Sun Palace
Carson LundEephus
Sarah FriedlandFamiliar Touch
Harris DickinsonUrchin

References

References

  1. (July 31, 2013). "IFP's 23rd Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards Ceremony to Take Place on Monday December 2nd at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City". Independent Filmmaker Project.
  2. (July 31, 2013). "Gotham Awards Set 2013 Dates, New Categories". Variety.
  3. "1991 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  4. "1992 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  5. "1993 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  6. "1994 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  7. "1995 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  8. "1996 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  9. "1997 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  10. "1998 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  11. "1999 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  12. "2000 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  13. "2001 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  14. "2002 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  15. "2003 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  16. "2004 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  17. "2005 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  18. "2006 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  19. "2007 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  20. "2008 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  21. "2009 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  22. "2010 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  23. "2011 Winners and nominees". Gotham Independent Film Awards.
  24. (November 26, 2012). "Gotham Awards: ''Moonrise Kingdom'' Wins Best Feature". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
  25. (October 18, 2012). "Gotham Awards Announce 2012 Nominations". [[IndieWire]].
  26. (December 2, 2013). "''Inside Llewyn Davis'' Tops Gotham Awards". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
  27. (December 1, 2014). "2014 Gotham Awards: Complete Winners List". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
  28. (November 30, 2015). "''Spotlight'' Wins Big at 2015 Gotham Awards (Full List)". [[Variety (magazine).
  29. (November 28, 2016). "Gotham Awards 2016: Complete Winners List".
  30. (November 27, 2017). "Gotham Awards 2017: Complete Winners List".
  31. (November 26, 2018). "Gotham Awards: A24 Sweeps with Five Wins, Including ''First Reformed'', ''Eighth Grade'' (Full Winners List)". [[Variety (magazine).
  32. (December 2, 2019). "''Marriage Story'' Sweeps Gotham Awards; Full Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter.
  33. (January 11, 2021). "Gotham Awards: ''Nomadland'' Wins Best Feature, Audience Award". The Hollywood Reporter.
  34. (November 30, 2021). "Gotham Awards: ''The Lost Daughter'' Wins Top Prize — See the Full List of Winners". IndieWire.
  35. (October 21, 2021). "Gotham Awards: ''The Lost Daughter'', ''Passing'' Lead Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter.
  36. (November 28, 2022). "''Everything Everywhere All at Once'' Tops Gotham Awards; Full Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter.
  37. (November 27, 2023). "2023 Gotham Awards: ''Past Lives'' Wins Best Feature". The Hollywood Reporter.
  38. (December 2, 2024). "2024 Gotham Awards: ''A Different Man'' Wins Best Feature as ''Nickel Boys'', ''Sing Sing'' Each Take Two". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
  39. Goldsmith, Jill. (October 28, 2025). "Gotham Awards Film Nominations: ''One Battle After Another'' Leads Pack; Multiple Noms for ''If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'', ''It Was Just An Accident'', ''No Other Choice''".
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

directorial-debut-film-awards 1991-establishments-in-new-york-city awards-established-in-1991 gotham-awards
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Director — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report