Pete Hammond: Indie Spirit Nominations Could Predict Oscar
LOS ANGELES (November 30, 2010) – Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations this morning for the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner served as presenters and 2011 Spirit Awards host Joel McHale was also on hand. Nominees for Best Feature include 127 Hours, Black Swan, Greenberg, The Kids Are All Right and Winter’s Bone.
Please Give was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
“The artistic side of independent film is stronger than ever, and it’s especially impressive to see the developed craft of extraordinary independent filmmakers who have only gotten better over the years. Past nominees such as Darren Aronofsky, Noah Baumbach, Danny Boyle, Lisa Cholodenko, Debra Granik, Nicole Holofcener and John Cameron Mitchell continue to create original and compelling films that move and amaze us.” said Film Independent Executive Director Dawn Hudson.
Selected from 220 submissions, this year’s winners will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. on the beach in Santa Monica. The 26th annual awards show will air exclusively that night on IFC at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Winners of the Filmmaker Grants will be highlighted during the Spirit Awards and announced at the 2011 Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch celebration on Saturday, January 15th at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.
On Wednesday, February 23, a selection of Spirit Award nominees will discuss their films and their craft at Film Independent’s Directors Close-Up, a 5-week series that features conversations with directors and their collaborators.
The Jameson FIND Your Audience Award, a new filmmaker grant, was established this year to help make it possible for one Spirit Award-nominated film to find a broader audience. Spirit Award-nominated films in need of expanding their marketing and distribution efforts will be considered. The award includes a $50,000 marketing and distribution grant, funded by Jameson Irish Whiskey. The grant was designed to meet independent filmmakers’ biggest challenge today: How to get their films out into the marketplace. A blue-ribbon committee will determine the winner.
2011 SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)
127 Hours Producers: Danny Boyle, Christian Colson, John Smithson Black Swan Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver Greenberg Producers: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Scott Rudin The Kids Are All Right Producers: Gary Gilbert, Philippe Hellmann, Jordan Horowitz, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Celine Rattray, Daniela Taplin Lundberg Winter’s Bone Producers: Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Anne Rosellini BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky Black Swan Danny Boyle 127 Hours Lisa Cholodenko The Kids Are All Right Debra Granik Winter’s Bone John Cameron Mitchell Rabbit Hole
BEST SCREENPLAY
Stuart Blumberg, Lisa Cholodenko The Kids Are All Right Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini Winter’s Bone Nicole Holofcener Please Give David Lindsay-Abaire Rabbit Hole Todd Solondz Life During Wartime BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Everything Strange and New Director: Frazer BradshawProducers: A.D. Liano, Laura Techera Francia Get Low Director: Aaron Schneider
Producers: David Gundlach, Dean ZanuckNight Catches Us Director: Tanya Hamilton
Producers: Sean Costello, Jason Orans, Ronald SimonsThe Last Exorcism Director: Daniel Stamm
Producers: Marc Abraham, Tom Bliss, Eric Newman, Eli RothTiny Furniture Director: Lena Dunham
Producers: Kyle Martin, Alicia Van CouveringBEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Diane Bell Obselidia Lena Dunham Tiny Furniture Nik Fackler Lovely, Still Bob Glaudini Jack Goes Boating Dana Adam Shapiro, Evan M. Wiener Monogamy JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer. Executive Producers are not listed
Daddy Longlegs Writer/Directors: Benny Safdie, Josh SafdieProducers: Casey Neistat, Tom Scott Lbs. Director: Matthew BonifacioWriter/Producers: Matthew Bonifacio, Carmine Famiglietti Lovers of Hate Writer/Director: Bryan PoyserProducer: Megan Gilbride Obselidia Writer/Director: Diane BellProducers: Chris Byrne, Mathew Medlin The Exploding Girl Writer/Director: Bradley Rust GrayProducers: Karin Chien, Ben Howe, So Yong Kim
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Annette Bening The Kids Are All Right Greta Gerwig Greenberg Nicole Kidman Rabbit Hole Jennifer Lawrence Winter’s Bone Natalie Portman Black Swan Michelle Williams Blue Valentine
BEST MALE LEAD
Ronald Bronstein Daddy Longlegs Aaron Eckhart Rabbit Hole James Franco 127 Hours John C. Reilly Cyrus Ben Stiller Greenberg BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Ashley Bell The Last Exorcism Dale Dickey Winter’s Bone Allison Janney Life During Wartime Daphne Rubin-Vega Jack Goes Boating Naomi Watts Mother and Child BEST SUPPORTING MALE
John Hawkes Winter’s Bone Samuel L. Jackson Mother and Child Bill Murray Get Low John Ortiz Jack Goes Boating Mark Ruffalo The Kids Are All Right BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Adam Kimmel Never Let Me Go Matthew Libatique Black Swan Jody Lee Lipes Tiny Furniture Michael McDonough Winter’s Bone Harris Savides Greenberg BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director)
Exit Through the Gift Shop Director: Banksy Marwencol Director: Jeff Malmberg Restrepo Directors: Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger Sweetgrass Directors: Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor Thunder Soul Director: Mark Landsman
BEST FOREIGN FILM (Award given to the director)
Kisses
(Ireland)Director: Lance Daly Mademoiselle Chambon
(France)Director: Stéphane Brizé Of Gods and Men
(Morocco)Director: Xavier Beauvois The King’s Speech (United Kingdom) Director: Tom Hooper Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
(Thailand)Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 17th annual Acura Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Acura.
Hossein Keshavarz Dog Sweat Laurel Nakadate The Wolf Knife Mike Ott Littlerock
PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 14th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
In-Ah Lee Au Revoir Taipei Adele Romanski The Myth of the American Sleepover Anish Savjani Meek’s Cutoff
AVEENO® TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 16th annual AVEENO® Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by AVEENO®.
Ilisa Barbash, Lucien Castaing-Taylor Sweetgrass Jeff Malmberg Marwencol Lynn True, Nelson Walker Summer Pasture
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Please Give Director: Nicole Holofcener Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy Ensemble Cast: Ann Guilbert, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Lois Smith, Sarah Steele
