Five Films Tie for Top Nods as 2026 Gotham Awards Kick Off Awards Season

Key points

• Five films tied for the most nominations with four each: 'All of a Sudden,' 'Clarissa,' 'La Gradiva,' 'The Invite,' and 'Tender Loving Care.'
• A24 and NEON led the field with 15 and 14 nominations respectively, followed by 1-2 Special and MUBI with eight each.
• The Gotham Audience Award returned after a six-year hiatus, with nominees selected based on box office performance and audience ratings.
• The ceremony will take place on November 30 at Cipriani Wall Street in Lower Manhattan.
• Notable films not submitted for consideration include 'The Odyssey' and 'The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth.'

Background

The Gotham Awards are widely considered the opening event for the movie awards season, often highlighting independent films and smaller distributors. In 2025, 'One Battle After Another' led the nominations with a record six nods before winning the Best Picture Oscar. The 2026 nominations mark a shift toward a more distributed field, with five films tying for the top spot. The Gotham Film & Media Institute has been operating for over three decades, and its nominations committees consist of critics, filmmakers, and tastemakers rather than a large academy.

How outlets are covering it

IndieWire, Deadline, Yahoo, and Variety all reported on the 2026 Gotham Awards nominations, with slight differences in emphasis. IndieWire highlighted the return of the Gotham Audience Award and the spread of nominations across multiple films. Deadline focused on the dominance of A24 and NEON, noting their 15 and 14 nominations respectively. Yahoo emphasized Olivia Wilde's 'The Invite' as an early contender for the 2027 Academy Awards. Variety provided a comprehensive list of nominees across all categories. All sources agreed on the five films tying for the most nominations and the return of the Audience Award after a six-year hiatus.

Why it matters

The 2026 Gotham Awards nominations set the stage for the movie awards season, with five films tying for the top spot and a return of the Audience Award after a six-year hiatus. The dominance of A24 and NEON suggests a strong presence of independent and mid-budget films in the awards race. The ceremony on November 30 will likely influence Oscar voters and shape the trajectory of the awards season.

What to watch

The 2026 Gotham Awards ceremony will take place on November 30 at Cipriani Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. Winners will be determined by separate juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors, and other industry professionals. The Gotham Audience Award winner will be determined by Gotham members, based on box office performance and audience ratings. The ceremony is expected to influence Oscar voters and shape the trajectory of the awards season.