"Tree of Life," one of the year's most divisive films, and "Beginners," one of the year's most charming and overlooked, have now officially been recognized as the year's best.
"Tree of Life," Terrence Malick's meditation on the constant struggle between God and Man, and "Beginners," about a man dealing with a new love and his dying father's sexual reawakening, shared the Best Feature prize giving by the Gotham Awards, with "Beginners" also getting recognition for Best Ensemble Performance.
Felicity Jones' ascent to stardom was confirmed with the Breakthrough Actor prize, for her performance opposite Anton Yelchin in "Like Crazy," about a young couple kept apart by all manner of obstacles. She had previously won a Special Jury prize at Sundance for her work.
"Better This World," which looks at the government's overreaching post-9/11 paranoia through the story of two young men who were brought up on domestic terrorism charges, took home Best Documentary, and Dee Rees won the Breakthrough Director Award for her film "Pariah," about a young woman's struggle coming out to her family and community.
The "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You" was given to "Scenes From a Crime," a documentary about a questionable confession given following a grueling 10-hour interrogation; and "Girlfriend," about a man with Down Syndrome who comes into some money and uses to court a woman he's loved since school won the Independence Film Audience Award.