'Moonlight' bags Gotham Awards, gets a headstart for Oscars!

Naomie Harris-starrer Moonlight won best feature at the 26th annual Gotham Independent Awards, which was held at Cipriani Wall Street, here.

It was a big night for the coming-of-age story directed by Barry Jenkins, which landed four prizes, including best screenplay, best ensemble and the audience award at the ceremony, reported Variety.

"I started writing things down, because I realized I was forgetting people," said Jenkins.

He thanked his cast, the distributor behind the film and his third-grade English teacher, the first person, who told him his story was worth telling.

Meanwhile, Casey Affleck won Best Actor for Manchester by the Sea and Isabelle Huppert took Best Actress for Elle.

For the second year in a row the Gotham Awards also handed out two awards for breakthrough TV and web series.

In addition to competitive awards, previously announced tributes also were given to Amy Adams, Ethan Hawke and Oliver Stone.

Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett introduced career-tribute honoree Adams, confessing that she had a "huge actor crush" on the Arrival star.

Adams said she first came to the Gothams 11 years ago, when she won the breakthrough award for Junebug" a movie that launched her in Hollywood.

"I think it's a testament to the power of independent film that a movie that was made for under $ 1 million has given the opportunity and privilege to have this amazing career," she said.