Gotham Awards Announce Eligibility Changes: Removing Budget Caps Makes for ‘More Inclusive Submission Pool,’ Org Says (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Gotham Film & Media Institute announced key changes for this year’s 33rd Annual Gotham Awards.

The organization has removed the budget cap requirements which they claim will create “a more inclusive submission pool” of potential nominees.

In previous years, to be eligible for the Gothams, a film’s budget couldn’t exceed $25 million. Past winners have included “Spotlight” (2015), “Moonlight” (2016) and “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022), all of which went on to win best picture at the Oscars.

The removal of budget caps will now invite big-budget vehicles like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” to submit for Gotham consideration if they elect to do so. “For the 33rd Annual Gotham Awards, we’re excited to include more voices from around the globe by expanding eligibility for the many brilliant international films and filmmakers who deserve to be in consideration this year,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “Additionally, with shifting budgets, we’ve decided to eliminate arbitrary budget caps for submission eligibility – first instituted over a decade ago – to broaden our reach in terms of recognition and accessibility to the wider community.” In 2021, the Gothams decided the awards for acting would no longer be defined by gender.