Gotham Independent Film Awards: "Winter's" Wonderland

The nominations for the 2010 Gotham Independent Film Awards were announced today, with Winter's Bone leading the pack. As I contemplate my revised Oscar predictions (coming soon), I can't help but notice that the film is coming back with a pretty significant wave of buzz. Could it be an Oscar nominee outside of Adapted Screenplay (the only category I had previously figured it would be nominated)? I suppose we'll find out.

Now a legitimate Oscar contender?

BEST FEATURE Black Swan

Blue Valentine

The Kids Are All Right

Let Me In

Winter's Bone

Let Me In is the surprise nominee here; good for them for giving the film a vote of confidence. The other four are gunning for Oscar support; the trailers for Blue Valentine and Black Swan are incredible, and I already know the merits of the remaining two, which you can read about here and here.

BEST DOCUMENTARY

12th & Delaware

Inside Job

The Oath

Public Speaking

Sweetgrass

I assume some of these are in Oscar contention, particularly Inside Job. 12th & Delaware comes from the makes of Jesus Camp though, so it should be interesting.

BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE

The Kids Are All Right

Life During Wartime

Please Give

Tiny Furniture

Winter's Bone

There's a lot of great ensemble work here, and a chance for some of the supporting players to start making Oscar moves (especially Winter's Bone's Dale Dickey and John Hawkes).

Now here's a great cast.

BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR

John Wells, The Company Men

Kevin Asch, Holy Rollers

Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, I Love You, Phillip Morris

Tanya Hamilton, Night Catches Us

Lena Dunham, Tiny Furniture

Will we ever see I Love You, Phillip Morris? I hope so, soon.

BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR

Prince Adu, Prince of Broadway

Ronald Bornstein, Daddy LongLegs

Greta Gerwig, Greenberg

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone

John Ortiz, Jack Goes Boating

I know this is probably Lawrence's to lose (and the start of her push into the Best Actress race), but you know what? Rearrange the letters, and you'll see that Greta's "great." ;)

BEST FILM NOT PLAYING AT A FILM NEAR YOU

Kati with an "i"

Littlerock

On Coal River

Summer Pasture

The Wolf Knife

Ah, the micro-indie. Maybe one day we'll enjoy the pleasures of these tiny films.

So that's that. What do you think of all of this?