Nate von Zumwalt, Editorial Coordinator
A bevy of 2011 Sundance Film Festival films and artists were nominated last month for the Film Independent Spirit Awards, held annually to honor the premier talent in independent film. Online voting opens January 27, and winners will be announced at a February 25 awards ceremony broadcast on IFC (10 p.m. ET/PT). Congratulations to all of our 2011 Festival alumni who are competing in the 26th edition of the Spirit Awards.
BEST FEATURE
(Award given to the producer)
TAKE SHELTER
Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
BEST DIRECTOR
MIKE MILLS – Beginners
JEFF NICHOLS – Take Shelter
BEST SCREENPLAY
TOM McCARTHY – Win Win
MIKE MILLS – Beginners
BEST FIRST FEATURE
ANOTHER EARTH
DIRECTOR: Mike Cahill
PRODUCERS: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker
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
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
MIKE CAHILL & BRIT MARLING – Another Earth
J.C. CHANDOR – Margin Call
PATRICK DeWITT – Terri
PHIL JOHNSTON – Cedar Rapids
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Award given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
BELLFLOWER
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Evan Glodell
PRODUCERS: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw
CIRCUMSTANCE
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Maryam Keshavarz
PRODUCERS: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa Lee
PARIAH
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Dee Rees
PRODUCER: Nekisa Cooper
BEST FEMALE LEAD
ADEPERO ODUYE – Pariah
ELIZABETH OLSEN – Martha Marcy May Marlene
BEST MALE LEAD
MICHAEL SHANNON – Take Shelter
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
JESSICA CHASTAIN – Take Shelter
HARMONY SANTANA – Gun Hill Road
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
JOHN HAWKES – Martha Marcy May Marlene
JOHN C. REILLY – Cedar Rapids
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEN KASULKE – The Off Hours
JOEL HODGE – Bellflower
BEST DOCUMENTARY
AN AFRICAN ELECTION
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Jarreth Merz
THE INTERRUPTERS
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Steve James
PRODUCER: Alex Kotlowitz
THE REDEMPTION OF GENERAL BUTT NAKED
DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion
WE WERE HERE
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: David Weissman
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
(Award given to the director)
TYRANNOSAUR (UK)
DIRECTOR: Paddy Considine
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Award given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
MARGIN CALL
DIRECTOR: J.C. Chandor
CASTING DIRECTORS: 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
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 director of WHERE SOLDIERS COME FROM
DANFUNG DENNIS director of HELL AND BACK AGAIN
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. The Finalists are:
CHAD BURRIS producer of MOSQUITA Y MARI
SOPHIA LIN producer of TAKE SHELTER
JOSH MOND producer of MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
