Ballast, The Visitor, Synecdoche earn Gotham nominations

It is but the middle of October and we already have our first set of 2008 film-award nominations. The Gotham Independent Film Awards announced its yearly list of nominees, shining the spotlight on a number of smaller films sure to factor into the Oscar equation later this year.

While not an indication of who will be nominated come January by any means, the Gotham nominations nonetheless highlighted names like Anne Hathaway, Penélope Cruz and Richard Jenkins, who will all surely be in for a long awards season.

Under-the-radar indie Ballast (pictured above) garnered the most nominations with three. Paste said the film "ranks among the best American film debuts of the year." Other nominees include Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut Synecdoche, New York, Woody Allen's latest triumphant comeback Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Darren Aronofsky's drama The Wrestler.

The full nomination list for the Gotham Independent Film Awards (including last year's winner for each category):

Best Feature
Ballast
Frozen River
The Visitor
Synecdoche, New York
The Wrestler

Last year's winner: Into the Wild

Best Ensemble Performance
Ballast: Micheal J. Smith, Sr., JimMyron Ross, Tarra Riggs, Johnny McPhail
Rachel Getting Married: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Tunde Adebimpe, Mather Zickel, Anna Deavere Smith, Anisa George, Debra Winger
Synecdoche, New York: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hope Davis, Tom Noonan
Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Scarlett Johansson, Rebecca Hall, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz
The Visitor: Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbas, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira

Last year's winner: cast of Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Best Documentary
Chris & Don: A Love Story
Encounters at the End of the World
Man on Wire
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Trouble the Water

Last year's winner: Sicko

Breakthrough Director
Antonio Campos for Afterschool
Dennis Dortch for A Good Day to Be Black & Sexy
Lance Hammer for Ballast
Barry Jenkins for Medicine for Melancholy
Alex Rivera for Sleep Dealer

Last year's winner: Craig Zobel for Great World of Sound

Breakthrough Actor
Pedro Castaneda in August Evening
Rosemarie DeWitt in Rachel Getting Married
Rebecca Hall in Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Melissa Leo in Frozen River
Alejandro Polanco in Chop Shop
Micheal J. Smith, Sr. in Ballast

Last year's winner: Ellen Page in Juno

Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You:
Afterschool
Meadowlark
The New Year Parade
Sita Sings the Blues
Wellness

Last year's winner: Frownland

Related links:
Gotham Independent Film Awards official site
Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Review: The Visitor

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