29th Annual Gotham Award POC Winners

Jemal Countess

The 29th Annual Gotham Awards took place on December 2nd, 2019, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. As previously reported, there were a total of 26 people of color and POC-themed projects nominated across nine awards categories. 

During the ceremony, the following people of color and POC-themed projects took home the silver award.

Best Documentary: While the documentary American Factory is not directed by people of color, the theme of the nights winning documentary focuses on the important story of a Chinese billionaire who opens a new factory in an abandoned General Motors plant. Where while the idea of this factory and its impact on Ohioans seems promising. Things don’t go as smoothly as planned and result in a clash between China’s high tech and working-class Midwesterners. It should be noted that the film was the first to be distributed by former President Barack Obama and former First lady Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground Productions. 

Breakthrough Series - Long Form: Ava DuVernay’s miniseries When They See Us which took home an Emmy earlier this year. Was awarded once again for its scripted retelling of the now infamous Central Park Five tragedy where five men of Black and Latino descent were falsely accused, convicted and served time in prison before being exonerated for having allegedly committed an assault and gang-raping of a white women in 1989. 

Breakthrough Actor: The young actress Taylor Russell who has had a slew of small roles and one main role on television as well as a spackling of small roles in films. Russell finally got her moment to shine in her first leading role as a high school student whose family is changed forever by tragedy and her push to reconcile the events of the past and while trying to move forward in life in Waves. 

Best Actress: The rising star who went from rapping to acting Awkwafina was awarded for her powerful portrayal as a Chinese American returning to her ancestral home to spend time with her paternal grandmother who is unaware that she has cancer and only has a few months to live in The Farewell. 

Special Tribute: Filmmaker, producer, director, showrunner, creator, writer and distributor Ava Duvernay is the woman of the moment with a special honor for her career that covers such socially relevant scripted content from films Middle of Nowhere and Selma to television dramas Queen Sugar and When They See Us.