Charlize Theron in daring dress split to the navel at Gotham Awards

Taking the plunge! Charlize Theron almost takes a tumble as she trips over stage light... in daring dress split to the navel at Gotham Awards

• The Tree of Life and Beginners shared the top prize for best feature film
• Academy Award winning actress Theron is honoured with a career award
• Oscar front-runner The Descendants starring George Clooney wins nothing

By Chris Johnson

Last updated at 7:38 AM on 29th November 2011

Falling out of her dress was the least of Charlize Theron's concerns as she arrived to an awards show in New York tonight.
Instead,the 36-year-old actress brought new meaning to the phrase 'tripping the light fantastic' as she stumbled over an erroneous stage lamp at the ever-so classy Cipriani Wall Street venue.
The South African beauty almost went south as she wandered around the grand building on her way to the red carpet at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, clad in a daring black and white dress split to the navel.

Scroll down for list of winners...

Whoops! Charlize Theron almost falls over after tripping over an erroneous stage lamp at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York tonight

Luckily, she was well fastened into her plunging outfit, which obediently stayed in place as she skipped and hopped over the obstruction.

Clearly the towering actress had failed to notice the light, which was set beneath one of the pillars inside the Greek-style building.

The Academy Award winning actress joined a plethora of stars at the event tonight - where she herself received a career award honour - and at which The Tree of Life and Beginners shared the top prize for best feature film.

Tripping the light fantastic: The actress managed to recover just in time, though, with her daring dress staying obediently in place

Who put that there? Charlize was revered for her grace... until tonight

After a spell away from the big screen - her last film being Astro Boy in 2009 - Theron will make her movie comeback with Young Adult, set for release next month.

It will see her play the role Mavis Gray, a writer of teen literature and one-time school bully who returns to her small hometown to recapture her youth.

Once there, she is set on a mission to reclaim her now happily married high school sweetheart, played by Patrick Wilson.

Not much on Theron: The 36-year-old actress slipped into a daring black and white dress split to the navel for the show, where she was honoured with a special tribute award

Walking tall: She teamed the look with a pair of towering gold shoes, which were clearly an effort to walk in

Theron with her mom: Charlize poses with her proud mother Gerda inside

Patton Oswalk also stars in the movie - and posed for photographs with Charlize tonight on the red carpet.

Charlize is also currently filming Snow White & The Huntsmen, playing the role of the Evil Queen. Twilight star Kristen Stewart is portraying the titular role.

The Gotham Awards is a key event for independent movies which also marks the start of the film-awards season culminating in the Oscars.

On stage: Theron regained her poise and posture for an appearance on stage with actors Patton Oswalt, one of her co-stars in her upcoming movie Young Adult

Heading out: Pictured here, left, leaving her New York hotel before the event and, right, earlier in the day clad in an orange jumpsuit

The honours for Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, a mystical period drama starring Brad Pitt, and the Christopher Plummer film Beginners, which stars Ewan McGregor as a man whose elderly father (Plummer) comes out of the closet, scored upset victories.
Alexander Payne's The Descendants, a well-reviewed Oscar front-runner which stars George Clooney in a family drama set in Hawaii, was nominated in three categories but won none.
Instead Beginners, directed by relative neophyte Mike Mills, also won best ensemble performance at the New York-based awards, co-hosted by Edie Falco and Oliver Platt.

Be my date: Gary Oldman, with wife Alexandra Edenborough, was honoured with a special tribute award - as was Theron, pictured right with co-star Oswalt

Legs on show: Executive Director of the Independent Feature Project, Joana Vicente, posing with quirky actress Tilda Swinton

Dressed to impress: Edie Falco, who starred in The Sopranos, was host for the night. Tilda wore a customary edgy design

Mills lauded his cast, singling out Plummer by saying there was 'no good reason for Christopher Plummer to believe in me. But he did.'
The best documentary honour went to Better This World, about two boyhood friends from Texas accused of attempting to bomb the 2008 Republican convention.
The Gotham Awards are held annually by the Independent Feature Project, a non-profit organization founded in 1979 that supports independent filmmaking.

Taking a turn: Actress Elizabeth Olsen glittered in a layered gold dress with a flesh-coloured underlay

Honoured: Felicity Jones took the prize for breakthrough actor for her role in Like Crazy, pictured on stage receiving the award from Melissa Leo

The awards provide a focus on the year's top independent movies heading into award season.
Felicity Jones took the prize for breakthrough actor for her work in Like Crazy, playing a British student separated from her American boyfriend after her visa expires.
Dee Rees won the breakthrough director award for her debut non-documentary feature, Pariah, about a New York City African-American teenager confronting her sexual identity.

Girlfriend won the audience award, while Scenes of a Crime, the story of a man appealing a life prison sentence, was named best film without a distribution deal.
Special tribute awards were given to Theron, Gary Oldman, A Dangerous Method director David Cronenberg and Fox Filmed Entertainment CEO Tom Rothman.

Green goddess: Jones looked pretty in her pastel-coloured dress, teamed with platform heels

Given a nod: Christopher Plummer, left, received top honours for his film Beginners along with director Terrence Malick (who did not attend) and his movie The Tree Of Life. Pictured, right, Zachary Quinto

Films and performances singled out at the Gothams often reflect those nominated for Independent Spirit Awards, another key set of honours for indie movies organised by Los Angeles-based group Film Independent, which announces its annual nominations for the year's best on tomorrow Tuesday.
Last year's top Gotham winner, Winter's Bone, an ultra-low-budget indie that cost about $2 million, went on to score four Oscar nominations including best picture.
Presenters at the awards included Alec Baldwin, Stanley Tucci, Melissa Leo and Tilda Swinton.
Other VIPs in attendance included Elizabeth Olsen, who glittered in a gold dress and Tilda Swinton, who donned a customary edgy outfit consisting of a trench coat with wire detailing.

Lending their support: From left, Actress Judy Greer, Sarah Paulson and Shailene Woodley

Walking the red carpet: From left, actresses Jennifer Carpenter, Vera Farmiga and Lake Bell

2011 GOTHAM AWARDS: WINNERS

Best Feature: TIE The Tree Of Life by Terrence Malick and Beginners by Mike Mills
Best Documentary: Better This World, directed by Kelly Duane and Katie Galloway
Best Ensemble Performance: Beginners
Breakthrough Director: Dee Rees for Pariah
Breakthrough Actor: Felicity Jones in Like Crazy
Best Film Not Playing At A Theatre Near You: Scenes From A Crime directed by Blue Hadaegh and Grover Babcock
Audience Awards: - Girlfriend, directed by Justin Lerner
Special tribute awards: Charlize Theron, Gary Oldman, A Dangerous Method director David Cronenberg and Fox Filmed Entertainment CEO Tom Rothman

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2067452/Gotham-Independent-Film-Awards-2011-Charlize-Theron-takes-tumble-trips-stage-light--daring-dress-split-navel.html#ixzz1f5KHnTce