Mum-to-be Natalie Portman shone as she took to the stage at the Gotham Independent Film Awards.

The awards, which honour independent film,  signal the beginning of Hollywood’s long awards season.

Apart from Natalie’s burgeoning bump, it was Barry Jenkins’ coming-of-age drama Moonlight that also shone at the event as it scooped a host of awards on the night including best feature, best screenplay, a special jury award for best ensemble and the audience award.

Natalie, 35, is pregnant with her second baby.

Other top awards went to Casey Affleck, who won best actor for his performance in Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea, and Isabelle Huppert, whose turn in Paul Verhoeven’s Elle took best actress award over favourites such as Natalie (for Jackie) and Annette Bening (20th Century Women).

The French actress, visibly shocked, said she had been told the Gothams were very American in outlook, and so her chances were slim.

“I feel so American tonight,” Isabelle said. “I feel good. I feel really good.”

A number of expected Oscar contenders were not nominated by the Gothams, which select their indie-centric nominees from a small panels of industry figures and critics.

Absent were late-arriving studio releases like Denzel Washington’s Fences and, most conspicuous of all, Damien Chazelle’s Los Angeles musical La La Land.

That $30 million (around £24 million) production (perhaps a bit too pricey for indie qualification), is seen by many as the best picture front-runner.