2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards this morning. Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale served as presenters. Nominees for Best Feature include 50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter and The Artist.

Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

“The Film Independent Spirit Awards recognize the finest artistic achievements across the broad spectrum of independent filmmaking—from emerging talent working on a shoestring budget to established auteurs,” said Film Independent Senior Director Sean Mc Manus. “The 2012 nominees tell their stories in such an authentic way and reflect the inclusive nature of the independent filmmaking community. We are delighted to support them and expand the audience for their work.”

“The Spirit Awards focuses primarily on American independents, so it was an honor to serve alongside an esteemed and dedicated group of indie film colleagues to determine many of the 2012 nominees,” said producer and Chair of the American Narrative Feature Nominating Committee Gail Mutrux. “It was an invigorating process—experiencing first-hand the vast array of storytelling that defines independent film, and discovering many new talents whose films inspired us.”

Winners will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 25, 2012. The 27th annual awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, and the premiere broadcast will air later that evening at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on IFC. Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be highlighted during the awards ceremony and announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.

The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from 277 submissions this year and applied the following guidelines in determining the nominations: uniqueness of vision, original and provocative subject matter, economy of means (with particular attention paid to total production cost & individual compensation), and percentage of financing from independent sources.

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer, Executive Producers are not listed)

50/50 – Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen

Beginners – Producers: Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Jay Van Hoy

Drive – Producers: Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel

Take Shelter – Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin

The Artist – Producer: Thomas Langmann

The Descendants – Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

BEST DIRECTOR

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist

Mike Mills – Beginners

Jeff Nichols – Take Shelter

Alexander Payne – The Descendants

Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive

BEST SCREENPLAY

Joseph Cedar – Footnote

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist

Tom McCarthy – Win Win

Mike Mills – Beginners

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash – The Descendants

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)

Another Earth – Director: Mike Cahill

Producers: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker

In the Family – Director: Patrick Wang

Producers: Robert Tonino, Andrew van den Houten, Patrick Wang

Margin Call – Director: J.C. Chandor

Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto

Martha Marcy May Marlene – Director: Sean Durkin

Producers: Antonio Campos, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Josh Mond

Natural Selection – Director: Robbie Pickering

Producers: Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Mike Cahill, Brit Marling – Another Earth

J.C. Chandor – Margin Call

Patrick deWitt – Terri

Phil Johnston – Cedar Rapids

Will Reiser – 50/50

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

Bellflower – Writer/Director: Evan Glodell

Producers: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw

Circumstance – Writer/Director: Maryam Keshavarz

Producers: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa M. Lee

Hello Lonesome – Writer/Director/Producer: Adam Reid

Pariah – Writer/Director: Dee Rees

Producer: Nekisa Cooper

The Dynamiter – Writer: Brad Inglesby

Director: Matthew Gordon

Producers: Kevin Abrams, Matthew Gordon, Merilee Holt, Art Jones, Mike Jones, Nate Tuck, Amile Wilson

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Lauren Ambrose – Think of Me

Rachael Harris – Natural Selection

Adepero Oduye – Pariah

Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene

Michelle Williams – My Week with Marilyn

BEST MALE LEAD

Demián Bichir – A Better Life

Jean Dujardin – The Artist

Ryan Gosling – Drive

Woody Harrelson – Rampart

Michael Shannon – Take Shelter

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Jessica Chastain – Take Shelter

Anjelica Huston – 50/50

Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs

Harmony Santana – Gun Hill Road

Shailene Woodley – The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Albert Brooks – Drive

John Hawkes – Martha Marcy May Marlene

Christopher Plummer – Beginners

John C. Reilly – Cedar Rapids

Corey Stoll – Midnight in Paris

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Joel Hodge – Bellflower

Benjamin Kasulke – The Off Hours

Darius Khondji – Midnight in Paris

Guillaume Schiffman – The Artist

Jeffrey Waldron – The Dynamiter

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

An African Election – Director/Producer: Jarreth Merz

Bill Cunningham New York – Director: Richard Press

Producer: Philip Gefter

The Interrupters – Director/Producer: Steve James

Producer: Alex Kotlowitz

The Redemption of General Butt Naked – Director/Producers: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion

We Were Here – Director/Producer: David Weissman

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

A Separation

(Iran) Director: Asghar Farhadi

Melancholia

(Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany) Director: Lars von Trier

Shame

(UK) Director: Steve McQueen

The Kid With a Bike

(Belgium/France/Italy) Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Tyrannosaur

(UK) Director: Paddy Considine

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 15th 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.

Chad Burris – Mosquita y Mari

Sophia Lin – Take Shelter

Josh Mond – Martha Marcy May Marlene

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 18th annual 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.

Simon Arthur – Silver Tongues

Mark Jackson – Without

Nicholas Ozeki – Mamitas

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 17th annual 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.

Heather Courtney – Where Soldiers Come From

Danfung Dennis – Hell and Back Again

Alma Har’el – Bombay Beach

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

Margin Call – Director: J.C. Chandor

Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey

Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci

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