The Golden Globes may be over and the Oscars may be a month away, but what is undoubtedly the most important gongs of the year have just announced their nominees – the Dorian Awards, as handed out by GALECA (Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association). And yes, part of the reason it’s the most important is that I’m a member, but of course that doesn’t sway my opinion of it at all.

GALECA is comprised of over 100 critics and entertainment journalists, who’ve picked their nominations across 25 categories, from mainstream to LGBTQ-centric, including four newly-added runs, such as Film Director of the Year, TV Director of the Year and Music Video of the Year. GALECA’s mission to honor content ‘from mainstream to gaystream’ has led to an unusually wide variety of nominations and winners since its inception in 2009. For example the organisation’s previous choices for Film of the Year include those that have gone on to Oscar success, such as 12 Years a Slave and Argo, along with less lauded (but equally worthy) fare like Weekend, I Am Love and A Single Man.

Amongst this year’s nominations, Birdman has the edge with four noms in the movie categories, including Film of the Year, while Michael Keaton is up for for Film Performance of the Year – Actor. Just behind are The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game and the crowd-pleaser Pride, about blue-collar miners and LGBTQs standing united for a cause.

In the TV categories, the transgender-comes-out-to-their-family dramedy, Transparent, leads with five nominations, including nods for star Jeffrey Tambor and creator Jill Soloway (for TV Director of the Year). The Normal Heart, Orange is the New Black and the new drama How to Get Away with Murder (for TV Drama of the Year, star Viola Davis and Campy TV Show) are also well-represented.

LGBTQ-specific categories for TV and film have their own surprises. For example in the LGBTQ Film Of The Year category, the mainstream success The Imitation Game is nominated alongside the likes of The Way He Looks – a movie that grossed less than $100,000 on its US release.

One winner is known already, as Star Trek icon and LGBTQ-rights activist, George Takei, has been named Timeless Star. GALECA has previously awarded such luminaries as Lily Tomlin and Sir Ian McKellen with this career achievement honor.

This winners will be announced on Tuesday, January 20th, with the group’s annual, free-wheeling Winners Toast set for Sunday, March 1, in Los Angeles.

Check out the full list of nominees below. [Read more…]