A dramatic film and a documentary series about immigration, Mexico’s Identifying Features and USA’s Immigration Nation are among the nominees for the 30th annual Gotham Awards of the New York-based Independent Filmmaker Project.
Competing in the best international feature category, Identifying Features follows a mother who travels across Mexico in search for her son who authorities say died while trying to cross the border into the USA. The dramatic film, whose original title in Spanish is Sin Señas Particulares, is directed by Fernanda Valadez and produced by Astrid Rondero, both of whom also co-wrote the screenplay. The production companies behind the feature are Avanti Pictures and Corpulenta Producciones. The film is distributed in the US by Kino Lorber. The film stars Mercedes Hernández, David Illescas and Juan Jesús Varela.
MULTIPLE FEST AWARD WINNER
Identifying Features won two prizes at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the Audience Award to world cinema dramatic film and the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for best screenplay. It has also won in other festivals in Switzerland, Ukraine and its homeland, Mexico.
On this side of the border, Immigration Nation takes a look inside the world of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Nominated in the breakthrough series-long format category, the Netflix documentary series is executive produced by Christina Clusiau, Shaul Schwarz, Dan Cogan, Jenny Raskin, Brandon Hill, and Christian Thompson. The production company behind the film is Reel Peak Films (Narco Cultura, A Year in Space).
Identifying Features and Immigratipon Nation are among 41 films and series competing in 11 categories, which also include the Gotham Audience Award. Nominees are selected by committees of film critics, journalists, festival programmers, and film curators. The winners are selected by separate juries of writers, directors, actors, producers, editors and others directly involved in making films.
HYBRID CEREMONY IN THE BIG APPLE
The IFP Gotham Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, Jan. 11. The awards show will be presented live from New York’s Cipriani Wall Street restaurant in a hybrid format featuring virtual interactive tables in order to follow health and safety protocols brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Independent Filmmaker Project is a nonprofit that aims at connecting artists with resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization, led by executive director and award-winning producer Jeffrey Sharp, supports the independent storytelling community through year-round programs such as IFP Week and Filmmaker Magazine, in addition to the Gotham Awards.
–CESAR ARREDONDO
Featured photo: Screenshot of trailer of the Immigration Nation doc series.
Check out the official trailer for Immigration Nation below.
