The 35th annual Gotham Awards, a prestigious ceremony honouring independent cinema, concluded on December 2, 2025, with a major win for a Hollywood A-lister. The event, held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, saw Leonardo DiCaprio's film 'One Battle After Another' take home the night's top prize: Best Feature.
A Night of Triumph for Independent Storytelling
The Gotham Awards, organised by The Gotham Film & Media Institute, serve as a crucial launchpad for films and series without major studio backing, often setting the tone for the broader awards season. This year's ceremony was no different, celebrating a diverse array of narratives and performances. The victory of 'One Battle After Another' underscores the film's powerful impact and critical acclaim within the independent film circuit.
Directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Sean Durkin, 'One Battle After Another' features Leonardo DiCaprio in a gripping lead role. The film's narrative, praised for its intensity and depth, clearly resonated with the Gotham Awards' nominating committee and voters. This win provides significant momentum as the film enters the highly competitive awards season, including the build-up to the Oscars.
Complete List of Winners at the 35th Gotham Awards
Beyond the Best Feature category, the ceremony recognised excellence across various facets of filmmaking. Here is the full list of winners from the 35th Gotham Awards:
Best Feature: One Battle After Another
Best Documentary: The Longest Goodbye
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award: Titus Kaphar for Exhibit A
Best International Feature: The Seed of the Sacred Fig
Best Lead Performance: Teyana Taylor for The Film
Best Supporting Performance: Taylor Paige for Dandelion
Breakthrough Performer: Mila Lieu for The Summer I Saved the World
Best Screenplay: The Film
Breakthrough Series (Over 40 minutes): The Emperor of Ocean Park
Breakthrough Series (Under 40 minutes): The Institute
Best Performance in a New Series: Carmen Ejogo for The Emperor of Ocean Park
Audience Award: The Summer I Saved the World
Implications for the Awards Season Road Ahead
The results of the Gotham Awards are often viewed as an early indicator of trends for larger ceremonies like the Critics' Choice Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Academy Awards. A win here, especially in the top category, can dramatically elevate a film's profile among voters and the public. For Leonardo DiCaprio and the team behind 'One Battle After Another', this accolade is a strong validation of their work and positions the film as a serious contender in the upcoming race.
The diversity of winners across categories like Best International Feature and the various breakthrough awards also highlights the Gotham Awards' commitment to spotlighting fresh talent and global voices. Films like 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' and performers like breakthrough winner Mila Lieu gain invaluable exposure from this platform.
As the entertainment industry and fans digest the results from the December 2nd ceremony, all eyes will now turn to how these films and performances fare in the next stages of the awards season. The victory for 'One Battle After Another' has undoubtedly set a high bar and generated considerable buzz for one of Hollywood's most celebrated actors and the vibrant world of independent film.
