31st Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations Announced
$75,000 IN GRANTS TO BE AWARDED TO FILMMAKERS
SPIRIT AWARDS TO BE BROADCAST LIVE EXCLUSIVELY ON IFC, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2016 2:00 pm PT / 5:00 pm ET
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the LA Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA, announced nominations for the 2016 Spirit Awards this morning. Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the press conference held at W Hollywood, with actors John Boyega and Elizabeth Olsen presenting the nominations. Nominees for Best Feature included Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Carol, Spotlight and Tangerine.
"This year's nominees are a testament to the strength, vitality and diversity of independent, artist-driven filmmaking," said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. "It's an astonishingly strong group of films and performances this year and we look forward to celebrating them all at the Spirit Awards."
Spotlight was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts.
"Spotlight is a remarkable film that excels on every level, but the Nominating Committee thought it was especially deserving of the Robert Altman Award," said Welsh. "The film is beautifully cast with every member of the ensemble working together to tell the story of the Boston Globe investigating allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church."
Winners will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 27, 2016. The awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, in a new location this year just north of the Santa Monica Pier. The show will broadcast live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT/ 5:00 pm ET.
Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be highlighted during the awards ceremony and announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants and Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 9, 2016, at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.
The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from 362 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 and individual compensation) and percentage of financing from independent sources. The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees are comprised of writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, critics, casting directors, film festival programmers and other working film professionals.
In addition to celebrating the broad spectrum of independent filmmaking, the Spirit Awards is also the primary fundraiser for Film Independent's year-round programs, which cultivate the careers of emerging filmmakers and promote diversity in the industry. To learn more about table sales, attendance and donations please contact [email protected] or 310.432.1253.
For more information on submission guidelines, voting, media and publicist credentials, and the history of the Spirit Awards, please visit spiritawards.com.
To download the new Film Independent Spirit Awards logo and laurels, click here
| 2016 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS |
|
| BEST FEATURE |
|
| (Award given to the Producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.) |
|
| Anomalisa |
|
| Producers: Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman, Dino Stamatopoulos, Rosa Tran |
|
| Beasts of No Nation |
|
| Producers: Daniel Crown, Idris Elba, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Amy Kaufman, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker |
|
| Carol |
|
| Producers: Elizabeth Karlsen, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley |
|
| Spotlight |
|
| Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar |
|
| Tangerine |
|
| Producers: Sean Baker, Karrie Cox, Marcus Cox, Darren Dean, Shih-Ching Tsou |
|
| BEST FIRST FEATURE |
|
| (Award given to the director and producer) |
|
| The Diary of a Teenage Girl |
|
| Director: Marielle Heller |
|
| Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit |
|
| James White |
|
| Director: Josh Mond |
|
| Producers: Max Born, Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin, Melody Roscher, Eric Schultz |
|
| Manos Sucias |
|
| Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka |
|
| Producers: Elena Greenlee, Márcia Nunes |
|
| Mediterranea |
|
| Director: Jonas Carpignano |
|
| Producers: Jason Michael Berman, Chris Columbus, Jon Coplon, Christoph Daniel, Andrew Kortschak, John Lesher, Ryan Lough, Justin Nappi, Alain Peyrollaz, Gwyn Sannia, Marc Schmidheiny, Victor Shapiro, Ryan Zacarias |
|
| Songs My Brothers Taught Me |
|
| Director/Producer: Chloé Zhao |
|
| Producers: Mollye Asher, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Angela C. Lee, Forest Whitaker |
|
| 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 awarded. |
|
| Advantageous |
|
| Writer/Director/Producer: Jennifer Phang |
|
| Writer/Producer: Jacqueline Kim |
|
| Producers: Robert Chang, Ken Jeong, Moon Molson, Theresa Navarro |
|
| Christmas, Again |
|
| Writer/Director/Producer: Charles Poekel |
|
| Heaven Knows What |
|
| Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie |
|
| Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie |
|
| Producers: Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear McClard |
|
| Krisha |
|
| Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults |
|
| Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith |
|
| Out of My Hand |
|
| Writer/Director: Takeshi Fukunaga |
|
| Writer/Producer: Donari Braxton |
|
| Producer: Mike Fox |
|
| BEST DIRECTOR |
|
| Sean Baker |
|
| Tangerine |
|
| Cary Joji Fukunaga |
|
| Beasts of No Nation |
|
| Todd Haynes |
|
| Carol |
|
| Duke Johnson & Charlie Kaufman |
|
| Anomalisa |
|
| Tom McCarthy |
|
| Spotlight |
|
| David Robert Mitchell |
|
| It Follows |
|
| BEST SCREENPLAY |
|
| Charlie Kaufman |
|
| Anomalisa |
|
| Donald Margulies |
|
| The End of the Tour |
|
| Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer |
|
| Spotlight |
|
| Phyllis Nagy |
|
| Carol |
|
| S. Craig Zahler |
|
| Bone Tomahawk |
|
| BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY |
|
| Jesse Andrews |
|
| Me and Earl and the Dying Girl |
|
| Jonas Carpignano |
|
| Mediterranea |
|
| Emma Donoghue |
|
| Room |
|
| Marielle Heller |
|
| The Diary of a Teenage Girl |
|
| John Magary |
|
| Story by Russell Harbaugh and Myna Joseph |
|
| The Mend |
|
| BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY |
|
| Cary Joji Fukunaga |
|
| Beasts of No Nation |
|
| Michael Gioulakis |
|
| It Follows |
|
| Ed Lachman |
|
| Carol |
|
| Reed Morano |
|
| Meadowland |
|
| Joshua James Richards |
|
| Songs My Brothers Taught Me |
|
| BEST EDITING |
|
| Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie |
|
| Heaven Knows What |
|
| Tom McArdle |
|
| Spotlight |
|
| Nathan Nugent |
|
| Room |
|
| Julio C. Perez IV |
|
| It Follows |
|
| Kristan Sprague |
|
| Manos Sucias |
|
| BEST FEMALE LEAD |
|
| Cate Blanchett |
|
| Carol |
|
| Brie Larson |
|
| Room |
|
| Rooney Mara |
|
| Carol |
|
| Bel Powley |
|
| The Diary of a Teenage Girl |
|
| Kitana Kiki Rodriguez |
|
| Tangerine |
|
| BEST MALE LEAD |
|
| Christopher Abbott |
|
| James White |
|
| Abraham Attah |
|
| Beasts of No Nation |
|
| Ben Mendelsohn |
|
| Mississippi Grind |
|
| Jason Segel |
|
| The End of the Tour |
|
| Koudous Seihon |
|
| Mediterranea |
|
| BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE |
|
| Robin Bartlett |
|
| H. |
|
| Marin Ireland |
|
| Glass Chin |
|
| Jennifer Jason Leigh |
|
| Anomalisa |
|
| Cynthia Nixon |
|
| James White |
|
| Mya Taylor |
|
| Tangerine |
|
| BEST SUPPORTING MALE |
|
| Kevin Corrigan |
|
| Results |
|
| Paul Dano |
|
| Love & Mercy |
|
| Idris Elba |
|
| Beasts of No Nation |
|
| Richard Jenkins |
|
| Bone Tomahawk |
|
| Michael Shannon |
|
| 99 Homes |
|
| ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - (Given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast) |
|
| Spotlight |
|
| Director: Tom McCarthy |
|
| Casting Directors: Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee |
|
| Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d'Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci |
|
| BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer) |
|
| (T)ERROR |
|
| Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe |
|
| Producer: Christopher St. John |
|
| Best of Enemies |
|
| Directors/Producers: Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville |
|
| Heart of a Dog |
|
| Director/Producer: Laurie Anderson |
|
| Producer: Dan Janvey |
|
| The Look of Silence |
|
| Director: Joshua Oppenheimer |
|
| Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen |
|
| Meru |
|
| Directors/Producers: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi |
|
| Producer: Shannon Ethridge |
|
| The Russian Woodpecker |
|
| Director/Producer: Chad Gracia |
|
| Producers: Ram Devineni, Mike Lerner |
|
| BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director) |
|
| Embrace of the Serpent |
|
| (Colombia) |
|
| Director: Ciro Guerra |
|
| Girlhood |
|
| (France) |
|
| Director: Céline Sciamma |
|
| Mustang |
|
| (France, Turkey) |
|
| Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven |
|
| A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence |
|
| (Sweden) |
|
| Director: Roy Andersson |
|
| Son of Saul |
|
| (Hungary) |
|
| Director: László Nemes |
|
| 19th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, 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. |
|
| Darren Dean |
|
| Mel Eslyn |
|
| Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith |
|
| 22nd ANNUAL KIEHL'S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 22nd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl's Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl's Since 1851. |
|
| God Bless the Child |
|
| Directors: Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck |
|
| King Jack |
|
| Director: Felix Thompson |
|
| Songs My Brothers Taught Me |
|
| Director: Chloé Zhao |
|
| 21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 21st 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. |
|
| Among the Believers |
|
| Directors: Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi |
|
| Incorruptible |
|
| Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi |
|
| A Woman Like Me |
|
| Directors: Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex Sichel |
|
| BY DISTRIBUTOR |
||
| Distributor |
NOMINATIONS |
# Nominations |
| A24 |
The End of the Tour, Best Male Lead The End of the Tour, Best Screenplay Krisha, John Cassavetes Award Mississippi Grind, Best Male Lead Room, Best Editing Room, Best Female Lead Room, Best First Screenplay |
7 |
| Abramorama / HBO Documentary Films |
Heart of a Dog, Best Documentary |
1 |
| Array Releasing |
Out of My Hand, John Cassavetes Award |
1 |
| Bleecker Street / Netflix |
Beasts of No Nation, Best Cinematography Beasts of No Nation, Best Director Beasts of No Nation, Best Feature Beasts of No Nation, Best Male Lead Beasts of No Nation, Best Supporting Male |
5 |
| Broad Green Pictures |
99 Homes, Best Supporting Male |
1 |
| Cinedigm |
Meadowland, Best Cinematography |
1 |
| Cinelicious Pics |
The Mend, Best First Screenplay |
1 |
| Cohen Media Group |
Mustang, Best International Film |
1 |
| Drafthouse Films / Participant Media |
The Look of Silence, Best Documentary |
1 |
| The Film Arcade |
James White, Best First Feature James White, Best Male Lead James White, Best Supporting Female |
3 |
| Film Buff |
The Russian Woodpecker, Best Documentary |
1 |
| The Film Collaborative |
(T)ERROR, Best Documentary Manos Sucias, Best First Feature Manos Sucias, Best Editing |
3 |
| Film Presence / Netflix |
Advantageous, John Cassavetes Award |
1 |
| Fox Searchlight Pictures |
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Best First Screenplay |
1 |
| Magnolia Pictures |
Best of Enemies, Best Documentary A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, Best International Film Results, Best Supporting Male Tangerine, Best Director Tangerine, Best Feature Tangerine, Best Female Lead Tangerine, Best Supporting Female |
7 |
| Music Box Films |
Meru, Best Documentary |
1 |
| Open Road Films |
Spotlight, Best Director Spotlight, Best Editing Spotlight, Best Feature Spotlight, Best Screenplay Spotlight, Robert Altman Award |
5 |
| Oscilloscope Laboratories |
Embrace of the Serpent, Best International Film |
1 |
| Paramount Pictures |
Anomalisa, Best Director Anomalisa, Best Feature Anomalisa, Best Screenplay Anomalisa, Best Supporting Female |
4 |
| Phase 4 Films / EOne |
Glass Chin, Best Supporting Female |
1 |
| RADiUS-TWC |
Heaven Knows What, Best Editing Heaven Knows What, John Cassavetes Award It Follows, Best Cinematography It Follows, Best Director It Follows, Best Editing |
5 |
| Revolver Entertainment |
God Bless the Child, Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award |
1 |
| RLJ Entertainment |
Bone Tomahawk, Best Screenplay Bone Tomahawk, Best Supporting Male |
2 |
| Roadside Attractions |
Love & Mercy, Best Supporting Male |
1 |
| Sony Pictures Classics |
The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Best Female Lead The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Best First Feature The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Best First Screenplay Son of Saul, Best International Film |
4 |
| Strand Releasing |
Girlhood, Best International Film |
1 |
| Sundance Selects |
Mediterranea, Best First Feature Mediterranea, Best First Screenplay Mediterranea, Best Male Lead |
3 |
| The Weinstein Company |
Carol, Best Cinematography Carol, Best Director Carol, Best Feature Carol, Best Female Lead Carol, Best Female Lead Carol, Best Screenplay |
6 |
| No Distributor |
Among the Believers, Truer Than Fiction Award Christmas, Again, John Cassavetes Award H., Best Supporting Female Incorruptible, Truer Than Fiction Award King Jack, Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award Songs My Brothers Taught Me, Best Cinematography Best First Feature, Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award A Woman Like Me, Truer Than Fiction Award |
# of films without distributor 7 |
| 44 FILMS NOMINATED |
||
| FILM TITLE |
CATEGORIES |
# |
| (T)ERROR |
Best Documentary |
1 |
| 99 Homes |
Best Supporting Male |
1 |
| Advantageous |
John Cassavetes Award |
1 |
| Among the Believers |
Truer Than Fiction Awards |
1 |
| Anomalisa |
Best Director Best Feature Best Screenplay Best Supporting Female |
4 |
| Beasts of No Nation |
Best Cinematography Best Director Best Feature Best Male Lead Best Supporting Male |
5 |
| Best of Enemies |
Best Documentary |
1 |
| Bone Tomahawk |
Best Screenplay Best Supporting Male |
2 |
| Carol |
Best Cinematography Best Director Best Feature Best Female Lead Best Female Lead Best Screenplay |
6 |
| Christmas, Again |
John Cassavetes Award |
1 |
| The Diary of a Teenage Girl |
Best Female Lead Best First Feature Best First Screenplay |
3 |
| Embrace of the Serpent |
Best International Film |
1 |
| The End of the Tour |
Best Male Lead Best Screenplay |
2 |
| Girlhood |
Best International Film |
1 |
| Glass Chin |
Best Supporting Female |
1 |
| God Bless the Child |
Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award |
1 |
| H. |
Best Supporting Female |
1 |
| Heart of a Dog |
Best Documentary |
1 |
| Heaven Knows What |
Best Editing John Cassavetes Award |
2 |
| Incorruptible |
Truer Than Fiction Award |
1 |
| It Follows |
Best Cinematography Best Director Best Editing |
3 |
| James White |
Best First Feature Best Male Lead Best Supporting Female |
3 |
| King Jack |
Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award |
1 |
| Krisha |
John Cassavetes Award |
1 |
| The Look of Silence |
Best Documentary |
1 |
| Love & Mercy |
Best Supporting Male |
1 |
| Manos Sucias |
Best Editing Best First Feature |
2 |
| Me and Earl and the Dying Girl |
Best First Screenplay |
1 |
| Meadowland |
Best Cinematography |
1 |
| Mediterranea |
Best First Feature Best First Screenplay Best Male Lead |
3 |
| The Mend |
Best First Screenplay |
1 |
| Meru |
Best Documentary |
1 |
| Mississippi Grind |
Best Male Lead |
1 |
| Mustang |
Best International Film |
1 |
| Out of My Hand |
John Cassavetes Award |
1 |
| A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence |
Best International Film |
1 |
| Results |
Best Supporting Male |
1 |
| Room |
Best Editing Best Female Lead Best First Screenplay |
3 |
| The Russian Woodpecker |
Best Documentary |
1 |
| Son of Saul |
Best International Film |
1 |
| Songs My Brothers Taught Me |
Best Cinematography Best First Feature Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award |
3 |
| Spotlight |
Best Director Best Editing Best Feature Best Screenplay Robert Altman Award |
5 |
| Tangerine |
Best Director Best Feature Best Female Lead Best Supporting Female |
4 |
| A Woman Like Me |
Truer Than Fiction Award |
1 |
ABOUT THE FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS
Now in its 31st year, the Film Independent Spirit Awards is an annual celebration honoring artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody independence and originality. The Spirit Awards recognizes the achievements of American independent filmmakers and promotes the finest independent films of the year to a wider audience.
The winners of the Spirit Awards are voted upon by Film Independent and IFP Members. Awards are given in the following categories: Best Feature, Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, Best Director, Best Screenplay, John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for a budget under $500,000), Best Male Lead, Best Female Lead, Best Supporting Male, Best Supporting Female, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best International Film, Best Documentary and the Robert Altman Award. The Filmmaker Grants include the Piaget Producers Award, the Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award and the Truer Than Fiction Award. The Film Independent Spirit Awards are sponsored by Premier Sponsors Piaget, Bank of America, Heineken, American Airlines, Jaguar and IFC. FIJI Water is the Official Water of the 2016 Spirit Awards. WireImage is the Official Photographer of Film Independent.
ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is a nonprofit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent's Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff and constituents is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a Member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional or a film lover.
In addition to producing the Spirit Awards, Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, a year-round, weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.
With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent's Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year-round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent's signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry.
About IFC
IFC is the home of offbeat, unexpected comedies. Series like Portlandia, Documentary Now!, Maron and Comedy Bang! Bang! air alongside fan-favorite movies and comedic cult TV shows. IFC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., and available across multiple platforms. IFC is Always On Slightly Off.
Want to vote?
Film Independent Members vote to determine the winners at the Spirit Awards. Members can attend free Nominee Screening Series in Los Angeles and New York and receive DVD screeners of select nominees by mail. Members must be current by December 4, 2015 to receive full voting benefits.
Join today at filmindependent.org/membership
Media Credential Applications: spiritawards.com/press
SOURCE Film Independent
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