New York, NY (August 12, 2025) – The Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced that submissions are now open for the 35th Annual Gotham Film Awards, taking place on Monday, December 1st, 2025, in New York City. The deadline for submissions is September 18th for the following ten competitive categories: Best Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best International Feature, Best Director, Breakthrough Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, Outstanding Lead Performance, Outstanding Supporting Performance, and Breakthrough Performer.
“As we open submissions for the 35th Annual Gotham Awards, we’re thrilled to continue honoring breakthrough and established creators while championing the bold, original storytelling that shapes our cultural landscape,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “Each year, the Gothams serve as a vibrant reflection of cinema’s evolving landscape – this milestone year promises to celebrate the artists redefining the boundaries of the medium while capturing audiences around the world.”
Submission applications, along with full criteria, are available at https://awards.thegotham.org/criteria/. Nominees will be announced on October 28th, and winners will be honored at the awards ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street on December 1st. All television award categories will be presented at the 2026 Gotham Television Awards.
During the 34th Annual Gotham Film Awards, which were held on Monday, December 2, 2024, A Different Man took home the coveted Best Feature award, while All We Imagine as Light earned a win for Best International Feature and the powerful documentary No Other Land received the honor for Best Documentary Feature. Nickel Boys secured two major wins — Best Director for RaMell Ross and Breakthrough Performer for Brandon Wilson. Azazel Jacobs’s poignant His Three Daughters was awarded Best Screenplay, and Vera Drew was named Breakthrough Director for her daring work on The People’s Joker. Colman Domingo earned Outstanding Lead Performance, and Clarence Maclin was honored with Outstanding Supporting Performance for their moving roles in Sing Sing.
The Premier Sponsor of the 2025 Gotham Awards is Vanity Fair.
The Gotham Film Awards and The Gotham Television Awards are the first honors of their respective seasons. The Gothams celebrate both breakthrough and established creators while championing bold, original storytelling that shapes the cultural landscape. Together, they fuel The Gotham Film & Media Institute’s robust slate of year-round programming.
About the Gotham Film & Media Institute
The Gotham celebrates and nurtures independent film and media creators, providing career-building resources, access to industry influencers, and pathways to wider recognition. The organization, under the leadership of Executive Director and award-winning producer Jeffrey Sharp, fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Gotham Week, the Gotham Film & Television Awards, Gotham EDU, Owning It, Expanding Communities, and Filmmaker Magazine.
About The Gothams
As the earliest honors of their respective seasons, The Gotham Film Awards and The Gotham Television Awards recognize both emerging and established creators and performances. By celebrating bold, original storytelling that influences the cultural landscape, these awards further the mission of The Gotham Film & Media Institute’s slate of year-round programming.
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