If there was an underlying theme to the latest TV edition of IndieWire Honors, it would be that of support, and having your colleagues’ backs. Some of the ways that manifested were as simple as cinematographer and director Jessica Lee Gagné coaching her colleague and filmmaking mentor Ben Stiller through the Québécois pronunciation of “auteur” as they accepted the Auteur Award for their work on “Severance,” or as grand as Visionary Award winner Mara Brock Akil getting a chance to thank the stars of several of her shows, from “Girlfriends” to Netflix’s “Forever,” with members of those casts all in attendance.
Some more pairs accepted awards together, like “#1 Happy Family USA” co-creators Ramy Youssef and Pam Brady, who shared their awe for the animation medium while accepting the Spark Award, saying how it involves “as many people that are in this room working on the smallest details.” And “The Penguin” star Colin Farrell and makeup designer Mike Marino accepted the Wavelength Award together, in celebration of creative collaboration, with the actor using his speech to tout “the magic of the artistry and the tactility and the immediacy and the beauty of practical makeup,” while recent Oscar nominee Marino said “It means a lot to be recognized for something that was done entirely by human hands. The clay, glue, rubber, inspiration, and the intention to create something special. There was no AI involved here, no shortcuts. Just time, thought, and trust.”
Several members of the “Matlock” cast, plus creator Jennie Snyder Urman, were on hand to cheer on Vanguard Award recipient Kathy Bates as she celebrated the immense success the CBS drama has seen (“16 million. And that’s per episode.”) And “Paradise” creator Dan Fogelman and star Sarah Shahi were in the audience to support Julianne Nicholson accepting the Performance Award for her work as the villainous Sinatra on the breakout Hulu series, an example of a role that “[defies] stereotypes that try to show life as it really is, not as we wish it were,” according to the actress.
For some of the other honorees, even if parts of their support could not make it, their presence was felt. Two emotional moments during the ceremony were Magnify Award recipient Lance Oppenheim dedicating his award to the recently deceased King George, the subject of his HBO docuseries “Ren Faire,” by quoting him saying “the highest glory is being in love.” Breakthrough Award recipient Aminah Nieves, one of the stars of “1923” on Paramount+, also tearfully paid tribute to her late scene partner Cole Brings Plenty, saying “let [his] story be a reminder to all of the continued injustices throughout Indian country and across the globe,” as highlighted on her show.
Partners both in kicking off the ceremony, and having breakout years, were fellow Breakthrough Award recipient Owen Cooper, star of Netflix’s “Adolescence,” who joked his “couldn’t have gotten off to a better start,” and IndieWire Honors host Robby Hoffman, who delivered on the promise in her monologue: “a little aggressive … a little rough around the edges. But I’m actually a fucking delight.”
As awards wrapped, many guests stuck around to mingle, honoree to honoree, and sip on El Tesoro tequila-infused cocktails at the NeueHouse Hollywood theater.
