'Ballast' tops Gotham indie award noms

October 20, 2008 The IFP's 18th annual Gotham Independent Film Awards unofficially kicked off the awards season with its 22 nominees Monday, and in a move fitting for the indie film world, the top honoree is a filmmaker who rejected a traditional distribution deal. "Ballast," which the director sold to IFC Films before taking it back for self-distribution, garnered the most noms: breakthrough director, breakthrough actor and best ensemble performance. The Festival de Cannes premiere "Afterschool" also is up for Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You, a $15,000 award honoring films without theatrical distribution deals.

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