'Beginners' wins big at Gotham Awards

NEW YORK, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- "Tree of Life" and "Beginners" tied for the Best Feature prize at the 2011 Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York Monday.

The cast of "Beginners" -- which included Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Melanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox, Mary Page Keller and Keegan Boos -- earned the Best Ensemble honor.

Katie Galloway and Kelly Duane de la Vega's "Better this World" won the Best Documentary award, Dee Rees won the Breakthrough Director title for "Pariah" and Felicity Jones garnered the Breakthrough Actor gong for "Like Crazy."

"Scenes of a Crime" was declared the Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You and the Audience Choice Award went to "Girlfriend," which was directed by Justin Lerner.

Oliver Platt and Edie Falco served as hosts of the event at Manhattan's Cipriani Wall Street.