Every year, Hollywood recognizes the efforts of independent film making through the Independent Spirit Awards. This year marks the 30 anniversary of the Spirit awards. Back in 1985, the awards were known as the FINDIE (Friends of Independents) and the awards were presented by Jaime Lee Curtis and Peter Coyote. The awards presentation was at the now closed 385 North restaurant.
Things have changed quite a bit in 30 years. While the Spirit Awards maintain the laid back sensibility of those first few ceremonies, the award has become very prestigious and can launch careers. It has also helped highlight independent film making and bring it into the consciousness of the movie-going public. For example, four of the five nominated films for Best Feature are also Academy Award Best Picture nominees.
The Independent Spirit Awards, hosted by Kristen Bell and Fred Armisen, will be announced Saturday, February 21 on the IFC Channel.
—Ariadne Ansbro
BEST FEATURE
BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) PRODUCERS: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
BOYHOOD PRODUCERS: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland.
LOVE IS STRANGE PRODUCERS: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
SELMA PRODUCERS: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
WHIPLASH PRODUCERS: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michael Litvak
BEST FIRST FEATURE
A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT DIRECTOR: Ana Lily Amirpour PRODUCERS: Justin Begnaud, Sina Sayyah
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Justin Simien PRODUCERS: Effie T. Brown, Ann Le, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Lena Waithe
NIGHTCRAWLER DIRECTOR: Dan Gilroy PRODUCERS: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak
OBVIOUS CHILD DIRECTOR: Gillian Robespierre PRODUCER: Elisabeth Holm
SHE’S LOST CONTROL DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Anja Marquardt PRODUCERS: Mollye Asher, Kiara C. Jones
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Award given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer) * Executive Producers are not awarded.
BLUE RUIN WRITER/DIRECTOR: Jeremy Saulnier PRODUCERS: Richard Peete, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani
IT FELT LIKE LOVE WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Eliza Hittman PRODUCERS: Shrihari Sathe, Laura Wagner
LAND HO! WRITERS/DIRECTORS: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens PRODUCERS: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy
MAN FROM RENO WRITER/DIRECTOR: Dave Boyle WRITERS: Joel Clark, Michael Lerman PRODUCER: Ko Mori
TEST WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Chris Mason Johnson PRODUCER: Chris Martin
BEST DIRECTOR
DAMIEN CHAZELLE – Whiplash
AVA DUVERNAY – Selma
ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
RICHARD LINKLATER – Boyhood
DAVID ZELLNER – Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
BEST SCREENPLAY
SCOTT ALEXANDER, LARRY KARASZEWSKI – Big Eyes
J.C. CHANDOR – A Most Violent Year
DAN GILROY – Nightcrawler
JIM JARMUSCH – Only Lovers Left Alive
IRA SACHS, MAURICIO ZACHARIAS – Love is Strange
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
DESIREE AKHAVAN – Appropriate Behavior
SARA COLANGELO – Little Accidents
JUSTIN LADER – The One I Love
ANJA MARQUARDT – She’s Lost Control
JUSTIN SIMIEN – Dear White People
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
DARIUS KHONDJI – The Immigrant
EMMANUEL LUBEZKI – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
SEAN PORTER – It Felt Like Love
LYLE VINCENT – A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
BRADFORD YOUNG – Selma
BEST EDITING
SANDRA ADAIR – Boyhood
TOM CROSS – Whiplash
JOHN GILROY – Nightcrawler
RON PATANE – A Most Violent Year
ADAM WINGARD – The Guest
BEST MALE LEAD
ANDRÉ BENJAMIN – Jimi: All Is By My Side
JAKE GYLLENHAAL – Nightcrawler
MICHAEL KEATON – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
JOHN LITHGOW – Love is Strange
DAVID OYELOWO – Selma
BEST FEMALE LEAD
MARION COTILLARD – The Immigrant
RINKO KIKUCHI – Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
JULIANNE MOORE – Still Alice
JENNY SLATE – Obvious Child
TILDA SWINTON – Only Lovers Left Alive
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
RIZ AHMED – Nightcrawler
ETHAN HAWKE – Boyhood
ALFRED MOLINA – Love is Strange
EDWARD NORTON – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
J.K. SIMMONS – Whiplash
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
PATRICIA ARQUETTE – Boyhood
JESSICA CHASTAIN – A Most Violent Year
CARMEN EJOGO – Selma
ANDREA SUAREZ PAZ – Stand Clear of the Closing Doors
EMMA STONE – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
FORCE MAJEURE (Sweden) DIRECTOR: Ruben Östlund
IDA (Poland) DIRECTOR: Pawel Pawlikowski
LEVIATHAN (Russia) DIRECTOR: Andrey Zvyagintsev
MOMMY (Canada) DIRECTOR: Xavier Dolan
NORTE, THE END OF HISTORY (Philippines) DIRECTOR: Lav Diaz
UNDER THE SKIN (United Kingdom) DIRECTOR: Jonathan Glazer
BEST DOCUMENTARY
20,000 DAYS ON EARTH DIRECTORS: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard PRODUCERS: Dan Bowen, James Wilson
CITIZENFOUR DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Laura Poitras PRODUCERS: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky
STRAY DOG DIRECTOR: Debra Granik PRODUCER: Anne Rosellini
THE SALT OF THE EARTH DIRECTORS: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders PRODUCER: David Rosier
VIRUNGA DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Orlando von Einsiedel PRODUCER: Joanna Natasegara
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Award given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
INHERENT VICE DIRECTOR: Paul Thomas Anderson
CASTING DIRECTOR: Cassandra Kulukundis ENSEMBLE CAST: Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Kenneth Williams
SPECIAL DISTINCTION AWARD
FOXCATCHER
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Bennett Miller WRITERS: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman PRODUCER: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik
CAST: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum
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