After going virtual last year, the Film Independent Spirit Awards are back in-person on Santa Monica Pier! Nominees were announced this morning and leading the way in nominations with five nominations is IFC Films Thriller THE NOVICE, followed by THE LOST DAUGHTER, the directorial debut of Maggie Gyllenhaal. While the Awards traditionally are held the weekend of the Oscars, an earlier date this year allow the ceremony to be more of a precursor to Awards Season. Some of the presenters this year include Regina Hall, Naomi Watts and Beanie Feldstein.
Full list of nominees:
Best Feature
“A Chiara”
“C’mon C’mon”
“The Lost Daughter”
“The Novice”
“Zola”
Best Director
Janicza Bravo, “Zola”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Lost Daughter”
Lauren Hadaway, “The Novice”
Mike Mills, “C’mon C’mon”
Ninja Thyberg, “Pleasure”
Best Male Lead
Clifton Collins Jr., “Jockey”
Frankie Faison, “Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain”
Michael Greyeyes, “Wild Indian”
Udo Kier, “Swan Song”
Simon Rex, “Red Rocket”
Best Female Lead
Isabelle Fuhrman, “The Novice”
Brittany S. Hall, “Test Pattern”
Patti Harrison, “Together Together”
Taylour Paige, “Zola”
Kali Reis, “Catch the Fair One”
Best Supporting Female
Jessie Buckley, “The Lost Daughter”
Amy Forsyth, “The Novice”
Ruth Negga, “Passing”
Revika Reustle, “Pleasure”
Suzanna Son, “Red Rocket”
Best Supporting Male
Colman Domingo, “Zola”
Meeko Gattuso, “Queen of Glory”
Troy Kotsur, “CODA”
Will Patton, “Sweet Thing”
Chaske Spencer, “Wild Indian”
Best Screenplay
Nikole Beckwith, “Together Together”
Janicza Bravo, Jeremy O. Harris, “Zola”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Lost Daughter”
Mike Mills, “C’mon C’mon”
Todd Stephens, “Swan Song”
Best First Screenplay
Lyle Mitchell Corbine, Jr., “Wild Indian ”
Matt Fifer; Story by Sheldon D. Brown, “Cicada”
Shatara Michelle Ford, “Test Pattern ”
Fran Kranz, “Mass”
Michael Sarnoski; Story by Vanessa Block, Michael Sarnoski, “Pig”
Best First Feature
“7 Days”
“Holler”
“Queen of Glory”
“Test Pattern”
“Wild Indian”
John Cassavettes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
“Cryptozoo”
“Jockey”
“Shiva Baby”
“Sweet Thing”
“This is Not a War Story”
Best Cinematography
“A Chiara”
“Blue Bayou”
“The Humans”
“Passing”
“Zola”
Best Documentary
“Ascension”
“Flee”
“In The Same Breath”
“Procession”
“Summer of Soul”
Best Editing
“A Chiara”
“The Nowhere Inn”
“The Novice”
“Zola”
“The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain”
Robert Altman Award (Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
“Mass”
Best International Film
“Compartment No. 6”
“Drive My Car”
“Parallel Mothers”
“Pebbles”
“Petite Maman”
“Prayers for the Stolen”
Producers Award (Honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films.)
Brad Becker-Parton
Pin-Chun Liu
Lizzie Shapiro
Someone to Watch Award
Alex Camilleri, “Luzzu”
Michael Sarnoski, “Pig”
Gillian Wallace Horvat, “I Blame Society”
“The Truer Than Fiction Award” (Presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.)
Angelo Madsen Minax, “North By Current”
Jessica Beshir, “Faya Dayi”
Debbie Lum, “Try Harder!”
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series
“Black and Missing”
“The Choe Show”
“The Lady and The Dale”
“Nuclear Family”
“Philly D.A.”
Best New Scripted Series
“Blindspotting”
“It’s a Sin”
“Reservation Dogs”
“The Underground Railroad”
“We Are Lady Parts”
Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series
Thuso Mbedu, “The Underground Railroad”
Anjana Vasan, “We Are Lady Parts”
Jana Schmieding, “Rutherford Falls”
Jasmine Cephas Jones, “Blindspotting”
Deborah Ayorinde, “THEM: Covenant”
Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series
Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game”
Olly Alexander, “It’s a Sin”
Michael Greyeyes, “Rutherford Falls”
Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus”
Ashley Thomas, “THEM: Covenant”
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
“Reservation Dogs”
The 37th annual FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS take place Sunday, March 6, 2022.
(Photo credit: IFC Films )
The 36th Film Independent Spirit Awards take place Thursday, April 22, 2021 and nominations were announced today. NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS takes the lead with a total seven nominations, with MINARI, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM and NOMADLAND tying in second with six nods apiece. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI, the Feature directorial debut of Oscar winner Regina King will be awarded the Robert Altman Award this year.
Interestingly, we see Chadwick Boseman, whom posthumously has been a frontrunner in the Support Actor category this Awards Season, is in the Lead Actor category here for his work in MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM.
The Spirit Awards’ commitment and diversity can be felt this year across several categories and in the Director race we have two Asian-American Filmmakers nominated in Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) and Chloe Zhao (Nomadland). Three out of five nominees in the category are female.
The Cast of HBO‘s I MAY DESTROY YOU starring, written, directed, produced by Michaela Coel also will be honoured for Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series.
Nominees are as follows:
Best Feature
“First Cow”
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
“Minari”
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
“Nomadland”
Best Director
Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari”
Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman”
Eliza Hittman,” Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
Kelly Reichardt, “First Cow”
Chloe Zhao, “Nomadland”
Best First Feature
“I Carry You With Me”
“The 40 Year Old Version”
“The Sound of Metal”
“Miss Juneteenth”
“Nine Days”
Best Female Lead
Nicole Beharie, “Miss Juneteenth”
Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Sidney Flanigan, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
Julia Garner, “The Assistant”
Frances McDormand, “Nomadland”
Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman”
Best Male Lead
Riz Ahmed, “The Sound of Metal”
Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Rob Morgan, “Bull”
Steven Yeun, “Minari”
Adarsh Gourav, “The White Tiger”
Best Supporting Female
Alexis Chikaeze, “Miss Juneteenth”
Yeri Han, “Minari”
Valerie Mahaffey, French Exit”
Talia Ryder, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
Yuh-jung Youn, “Minari”
Best Supporting Male
Coleman Domingo, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Orion Lee, “First Cow”
Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal”
Glynn Turmann, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Benedict Wong, “Nine Days”
Best Screenplay
“Bad Education”
“Minari”
“The Half of It”
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
“Promising Young Woman”
Best First Screenplay
Kitty Green, “The Assistant”
Noah Hutton, “Lapsis”
Channing Godfrey Peoples, “Miss Juneteenth”
Andy Siara, “Palm Springs”
James Sweeney, “Straight Up”
Best Cinematography
Jay Keitel, “She Dies Tomorrow”
Shabier Kirchner, “Bull”
Michael Latham, “The Assistant”
Hélène Louvart, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
Joshua James Richards, “Nomadland”
Best Editing
“I Carry You With Me”
“The Invisible Man”
“Residue”
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
“Nomadland”
Robert Altman Award
“One Night in Miami”
Best Documentary
“Collective”
“Crip Camp”
“Dick Johnson Is Dead”
“Time”
“The Mole Agent”
Best International Film
“Bacurau”
“The Disciple”
“Night of the Kings”
“Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time”
“Quo Vadis, Aida?”
Piaget Producers Award
Kara Durrett
Lucas Joaquin
Gerry Kim
Someone to Watch Award
David Midell, “The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain”
Ekwa Msangi, “Farewell Amor”
Annie Silverstein, “Bull”
Truer Than Fiction Award
Cecilia Aldarondo, “Landfall”
Elegance Bratton, “Pier Kids”
Elizabeth Lo, “Stray”
Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series
“Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children”
“City So Real”
“Immigration Nation”
“Love Fraud”
“We’re Here”
Best Scripted Series
“I May Destroy You”
“Little America”
“Small Axe”
“A Teacher”
“Unorthodox”
Best Female Performance in a Scripted Series
Elle Fanning, “The Great”
Shira Haas, “Unorthodox”
Abby McEnany, “Work in Progress
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, “Never Have I Ever”
Jordan Kristine Seamón, “We Are Who We Are”
Best Male Performance in a Scripted Series
Conphidance, “Little America”
Adam Ali, “Little America”
Nicco Annan, “P-Valley”
Amit Rahav, “Unorthodox”
Harold Torres, “Zero, Zero, Zero”
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
“I May Destroy You”
Ensemble Cast: Michaela Coel, Paapa Essiedu, Wruche Opia,
Stephen Wight
Complete Nominee List and more here.
(Photo credit: Film Independent)
While our trip to Los Angeles started off with some hitches – namely an extremely slow Customs check making us miss our flights – we cannot be stopped! Our first day in L.A. true to form has been amazing and in addition to taking-in some of the awesome bites, we saw tons of stars last night!
We interviewed Chef Giada De Laurentiis a few years back and she kept telling us it was mandatory to try Chef Roy Choi‘s Korean-inspired Tacos at KOGI TAQUERIA and while we’ve been back a few times, we never got around to it till now. Forget hotel check-in, we had Beef Short Rib Tacos and Carnitas Kimchi Fries on our mind! A joy finally getting to try this.
When viewing these albums, hover right on the arrow to navigate further!
Several pre-Oscars parties are taking place around town and among the top bashes to be at, were the William Morris Endeavor bash at a private residence in Beverly Hills and also the Tom Ford Fashion Show! Being an acclaimed Filmmaker himself, the timing was brilliant merging his worlds together at once Oscars weekend.
Tom Ford Fashion Show – this was attended by several A-Listers like Renée Zellweger, J-Lo, Jason Momoa, Kate Hudson, Lil Nas X and more. See who we got snaps with!
WME Bash – this party is situation at a private mansion and it seems everyone in town went to it. As it got a bit chaotic I only got to get a few snaps, including several Presenters and Nominees at Sunday’s Academy Awards.
Amidst the bustle we still managed to get a few Snaps. We’re so thrilled we got to meet rising star Julia Fox who rocked our world in UNCUT GEMS! While The Academy got it wrong, we’re glad to see it up for multiple FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS! Stream it now on Netflix.
A trip to L.A. is never complete without IN-N-OUT and it was a delight making it in just before they closed at 2 AM to get my burger and fries, Animal Style! The Police literally had to kick me and my friends out!
We need our coffee as we are up and it early, but don’t forget to follow us at @HollywoodSuite on Twitter and Instagram for our coverage of the FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS! The Awards air live 5 PM ET and then on-repeat on Hollywood Suite in Canada! We’re thrilled to be in attendance at the Awards and bringing you a bit of BTS (not the Boy Band)!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
It is with great pleasure to let you know that we’ll be returning to Santa Monica Pier once again this February for the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards! We’re partnering with our friends at Hollywood Suite from the Blue Carpet to provide you some star-studded coverage of the final Awards Show of the season before the Academy Awards! We’re super-excited to be in Hollywood again for some of that Awards Season excitement!
The Independent Spirit Awards take place Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 5:00 PM ET and air on Hollywood Suite in Canada and on IFC in the U.S.
Nominees are comprised of a mixed group of A-List and emerging talent and we’re thrilled some of our favourites like HUSTLERS, UNCUT GEMS, THE FAREWELL and MARRIAGE STORY get the love they deserved here.
See the Nominees:
BEST FEATURE
(Award given to the producer)
A HIDDEN LIFE
Producers: Elisabeth Bentley, Dario Bergesio, Grant Hill, Josh Jeter
CLEMENCY
Producers: Timur Bekbosunov, Julian Cautherley, Bronwyn Cornelius, Peter Wong
THE FAREWELL
Producers: Anita Gou, Daniele Melia, Andrew Miano, Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub, Lulu Wang, Chris Weitz, Jane Zheng
MARRIAGE STORY
Producers: Noah Baumbach, David Heyman
UNCUT GEMS
Producers: Eli Bush, Sebastian Bear McClard, Scott Rudin
BEST FIRST FEATURE
(Award given to the director and producer)
BOOKSMART
Director: Olivia Wilde
Producers: Chelsea Barnard, David Distenfeld, Jessica Elbaum, Megan Ellison, Katie Silberman
THE CLIMB
Director: Michael Angelo Covino
Producers: Noah Lang, Kyle Marvin
DIANE
Director: Kent Jones
Producers: Luca Borghese, Ben Howe, Caroline Kaplan, Oren Moverman
THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
Director/Producer: Joe Talbot
Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Khaliah Neal, Christina Oh
THE MUSTANG
Director: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre
Producer: Ilan Goldman
SEE YOU YESTERDAY
Director: Stefon Bristol
Producer: Spike Lee
BEST DIRECTOR
Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse
Alma Har’el, Honey Boy
Julius Onah, Luce
Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems
Josh Safdie, Uncut Gems
Lorene Scafaria, Hustlers
BEST SCREENPLAY
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Jason Begue, Shawn Snyder, To Dust
Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Uncut Gems
Chinonye Chukwu, Clemency
Tarell Alvin McCraney, High Flying Bird
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Fredrica Bailey, Stefon Bristol, See You Yesterday
Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen, Driveways
Bridget Savage Cole, Danielle Krudy, Blow the Man Down
Jocelyn Deboer, Dawn Luebbe, Greener Grass
Andrew Patterson, Craig W. Sanger, The Vast of Night
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Award given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director and producer)
BURNING CANE
Writer/Director/Producer: Phillip Youmans
Producers: Ojo Akinlana, Jakob Johnson, Karen Kaia Livers, Mose Mayer,
Wendell Pierce, Isaac Web, Cassandra Youmans
COLEWELL
Writer/Director: Tom Quinn
Producers: Joshua Blum, Alexandra Byer, Craig Shilowich, Matthew Thurm
GIVE ME LIBERTY
Writer/Director/Producer: Kirill Mikhanovsky
Writer/Producer: Alice Austen
Producers: Val Abel, Wally Hall, Michael Manasseri, George Rush, Sergey Shtern
PREMATURE
Writer/Director/Producer: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Writer: Zora Howard
Producers: Darren Dean, Joy Ganes
WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY
Writer/Director/Producer: Madeleine Olnek
Producers: Anna Margarita Albelo, Casper Andreas, Max Rifkind-Barron
BEST MALE LEAD
Chris Galust, Give Me Liberty
Kelvin Harrison Jr., Luce
Robert Pattinson, The Lighthouse
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
Matthias Schoenaerts, The Mustang
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Karen Allen, Colewell
Hong Chau, Driveways
Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell
Mary Kay Place, Diane
Renée Zellweger, Judy
Alfre Woodard, Clemency
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse
Noah Jupe, Honey Boy
Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy
Jonathan Majors, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Wendell Pierce, Burning Cane
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers
Taylor Russell, Waves
Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, Give Me Liberty
Octavia Spencer, Luce
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Todd Banhazl, Hustlers
Jarin Blaschke, The Lighthouse
Natasha Braier, Honey Boy
Chananun Chotrungroj, The Third Wife
Pawel Pogorzelski, Midsommar
BEST EDITING
Julie Béziau, The Third Wife
Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems
Tyler L. Cook, Sword of Trust
Louise Ford, The Lighthouse
Kirill Mikhanovsky, Give Me Liberty
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
INVISIBLE LIFE (Brazil)
Director: Karim Aïnouz
LES MISÉRABLES (France)
Director: Ladj Ly
PARASITE (South Korea)
Director: Bong Joon-ho
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (France)
Director: Céline Sciamma
RETABLO (Peru)
Director: Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio L.
THE SOUVENIR (United Kingdom)
Director: Joanna Hogg
BEST DOCUMENTARY
(Award given to the director and producer)
AMERICAN FACTORY
Director/Producers: Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
Producers: Julia Parker Benello, Jeff Reichert
APOLLO 11
Director/Producer: Todd Douglas Miller
Producers: Evan Krauss, Thomas Baxley Peterson
FOR SAMA
Director: Edward Watts
Director/Producer: Waad al-Kateab
HONEYLAND
Director: Tamara Kotevska
Director/Producer: Ljubo Stefanov
Producer: Atanas Georgiev
ISLAND OF THE HUNGRY GHOSTS
Director/Producer: Gabrielle Brady
Producers: Gizem Acarla, Samm Haillay, Alex Kelly, Alexander Wadouh
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Award given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
MARRIAGE STORY
Director: Noah Baumbach
Casting Directors: Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler
Ensemble Cast: Alan Alda, Laura Dern, Adam Driver, Julie Hagerty, Scarlett Johansson, Ray Liotta, Azhy Robertson, Merritt Wever
BONNIE AWARD SPONSORED BY AMERICAN AIRLINES
(Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the 3rd annual Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.)
Marielle Heller
Kelly Reichardt
Lulu Wang
PRODUCERS AWARD
(The Producers Award, now in its 23rd year, 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.)
Mollye Asher
Krista Parris
Ryan Zacarias
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD, PRESENTED BY BULLEIT FONTIER WHISKEY
(The Someone to Watch Award Presented By Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, now in its 26th year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.)
PREMATURE
Director: Rashaad Ernesto Green
THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO
Director: Joe Talbot
THE THIRD WIFE
Director: Ash Mayfair
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
(The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 25th year, 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.)
17 BLOCKS
Director: Davy Rothbart
AMÉRICA
Directors: Erick Stoll, Chase Whiteside
BLACK MOTHER
Director: Khalik Allah
JADDOLAND
Director: Nadia Shihab
Above this, our Amanda Gilmore heads to Park City later this week to attend the Sundance Film Festival, delivering you highlights and reviews from some of the hottest Films to come out of the Festival!
Stay tuned to our Social Media for live coverage:
Instagram: @mrwillwong
Twitter: @mrwillw | @gilmoreamanda
Facebook: mrwillwongblog
Also be sure to follow Hollywood Suite’s coverage:
Twitter: @hollywoodsuite
Cameron Maitland: @camfess
(Photo credit: Film Independent)
Thank you so much, Hollywood Suite for this amazing care package!
I’m thrilled to announce that I will teaming with them for the first time ever this year at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California!
The #SpiritAwards hosted by Aubrey Plaza, take place 2.23.19 and air on Hollywood Suite 5 PM ET. Learn more.
Don’t forget also this Sunday 2.10.19, the #EEBAFTAs hosted by Joanna Lumley, air at 6 PM ET. Learn more. Hollywood Suite will be there bringing you their exclusive broadcast.
I’m thrilled to bring you some awesome coverage together with the Hollywood Suite team from the Independent Spirit Awards! Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram @HollywoodSuite and Twitter: @HollywoodSuite.
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