Gotham Awards To Honor Willem Dafoe And Paul Greengrass

Willem Dafoe, who just won the best actor prize at the Venice Film Festival for playing Vincent Van Gogh in Julian Schnabel’s At Eternity’s Gate, and 22 July writer-director Paul Greengrass will be feted at the 2018 IFP Gotham Awards next month in New York.

Dafoe will will receive the Actor Tribute and Greengrass the Director Tribute at the annual ceremony, set this year for November 26 at Cipriani Wall Street. They join fellow honorees Rachel Weisz, who is receiving the Actress Tribute, and RadicalMedia founder Jon Kamen,
who is getting the Industry Tribute.

At Eternity’s Gate will hit theaters November 16 via CBS Films. Greengrass’ 22 July, based on the 2012 terror attack in Norway, bowed at Toronto and will bow via Netflix in theaters and on the streaming service October 10.

“Willem Dafoe is one of the most iconic actors of our generation,’ said Joana Vicente, executive director of IFP and the Made in NY Media Center. Throughout his legendary career, he has consistently brought versatility, boldness and daring complexity to his roles. Whether a Hollywood tentpole franchise or a small-scale independent film, Willem’s artistic curiosity has led him to film and theatre projects all over the world, making him one of the most internationally respected actors.

Of Greengrass, she said: “Paul brings a startling realism to all of his films whether directing a stellar cast in a cat and mouse thriller that stretches around the globe or directing relative unknowns in a tragic docudrama within the confines of a doomed plane. His singular ability to create a visual – and visceral – narrative from his meticulously redrawing of impactful historical events will have a lasting influence on cinema for generations to come.”

The Gothams traditionally hand out the first awards in the movie biz’s mad dash to the Oscars. Last year, Sony Classics’ Call Me By Your Name and Universal’s Get Out took top honors, on their way to Oscar Best Picture nominations.