The road to the Oscars have begun, and weekends are now starting to fill up with critically-acclaimed titles that are hoping for Academy Award glory this year. Of course, it was only a matter of time before nominations from various bodies to start pouring in, and this year it’s the Independent Spirit Awards that have come out the gate early and revealed the candidates for all of their big prizes. it’s the Independent Spirit Awards that have come out the gate early and revealed the candidates for all of their big prizes.
The Independent Spirit Awards’ official website has unveiled all of the films and talented individuals that will be vying for trophies this year, and there are a lot of expected titles and names on the list. Alejandro G. Inarritu leads the pack with a total of six nominations, but Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler, and Ava DuVernay’s Selma are right behind it with five nods each. You can check out the list in its entirety below:
BEST FEATUREBirdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)BoyhoodLove is StrangeSelmaWhiplashBEST DIRECTORDamien Chazelle, WhiplashAva DuVernay, SelmaAlejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)Richard Linklater, BoyhoodDavid Zellner Kumiko, The Treasure HunterBEST SCREENPLAYScott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, Big EyesJ.C. Chandor, A Most Violent YearDan Gilroy, NightcrawlerJim Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left AliveIra Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias, Love is StrangeBEST FEMALE LEADMarion Cotillard, The ImmigrantRinko Kikuchi, Kumiko, The Treasure HunterJulianne Moore, Still AliceJenny Slate, Obvious ChildTilda Swinton, Only Lovers Left AliveBEST MALE LEADAndré Benjamin, Jimi: All Is By My SideJake Gyllenhaal, NightcrawlerMichael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)John Lithgow, Love is StrangeDavid Oyelowo, SelmaBEST SUPPORTING FEMALEPatricia Arquette, BoyhoodJessica Chastain, A Most Violent YearCarmen Ejogo, SelmaAndrea Suarez Paz, Stand Clear of the Closing DoorsEmma Stone, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)BEST SUPPORTING MALERiz Ahmed, NightcrawlerEthan Hawke, BoyhoodAlfred Molina, Love is StrangeEdward Norton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)J.K. Simmons, WhiplashBEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Director: Ana Lily Amirpour; Producers: Justin Begnaud, Sina Sayyah)Dear White People (Director/Producer: Justin Simien; Producers: Effie T. Brown, Ann Le, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Lena Waithe)Nightcrawler (Director: Dan Gilroy; Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak)Obvious Child (Director: Gillian Robespierre; Producer: Elisabeth Holm)She’s Lost Control (Director/Producer: Anja Marquardt; Producers: Mollye Asher, Kiara C. Jones)BEST FIRST SCREENPLAYDesiree Akhavan, Appropriate BehaviorSara Colangelo, Little AccidentsJustin Lader, The One I LoveAnja Marquardt, She’s Lost ControlJustin Simien, Dear White PeopleJOHN 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.)Blue Ruin (Writer/Director: Jeremy Saulnier; Producers: Richard Peete, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani)It Felt Like Love (Writer/Director/Producer: Eliza Hittman; Producers: Shrihari Sathe, Laura Wagner)Land Ho! (Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz & Martha Stephens; Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy)Man From Reno (Writer/Director: Dave Boyle; Writers: Joel Clark, Michael Lerman Producer: Ko Mori; Writer/Director/Producer: Chris Mason Johnson; Producer: Chris Martin)BEST CINEMATOGRAPHYDarius Khondji, The ImmigrantEmmanuel Lubezki, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)Sean Porter, It Felt Like LoveLyle Vincent, A Girl Walks Home Alone at NightBradford Young, SelmaBEST EDITINGSandra Adair, BoyhoodTom Cross, WhiplashJohn Gilroy, NightcrawlerRon Patane, A Most Violent YearAdam Wingard, The GuestBEST DOCUMENTARY20,000 Days on EarthCITIZENFOURStray DogThe Salt of the EarthVirungaBEST INTERNATIONAL FILMForce Majeure (Sweden)Ida (Poland)Leviathan (Russia)Mommy (Canada)Norte, the End of History (Philippines)Under the Skin (United Kingdom)ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)Inherent ViceDirector: Paul Thomas AndersonCasting Director: Cassandra KulukundisEnsemble Cast: Josh Brolin, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio Del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Michael Kenneth Williams, Owen Wilson, Reese WitherspoonSPECIAL DISTINCTION AWARDFoxcatcherDirector/Producer: Bennett MillerProducers: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon KilikWriters: E. Max Frye, Dan FuttermanActors: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum18th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – (The 18th 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.)Chad BurrisElisabeth HolmChris Ohlson21st ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – (The 21st 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.)A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (Director: Ana Lily Amirpour)H. (Directors: Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia)The Retrieval (Director: Chris Eska)20th ANNUAL LENSCRAFTERS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – (The 20th annual Truer Than Fiction Award, sponsored by LensCrafters 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 LensCrafters.)Approaching the Elephant (Director: Amanda Rose Wilder)Evolution of a Criminal (Director: Darius Clark Monroe)The Kill Team (Director: Dan Krauss)The Last Season (Director: Sara Dosa)
Keeping in mind that these are only independent films that are eligible for nomination, what do you think of this year’s candidates for this year’s Independent Spirit Awards? Who do you think will take the top prizes? Leave you speculation in the comments below!
