Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominations Announced; $75,000 In Grants To Be Awarded To Filmmakers

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Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Film Independent Spirit Awards, have announced the Spirit Awards Nominations, with aspects of 44 films vying for the highly-coveted artists award, will be awarded live February 25, 2017.

The Spirit Awards are celebrating the 32nd annual awards presentation, which has grown from a fun stop in the awards season ride to a highly coveted and honorable award representing a spirit of independence and freedom in the film making machine.

The growth of the Spirit Awards is very much attributed to the support of our sponsors. This year we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Piaget Producers Award and IFC, the Independent Film Channel, will broadcast the 2017 Spirit Awards live.  

Our continued acceptance by the local Los Angeles artistic community, LACMA and the partnership with the Los Angeles Film Festival share in our continued success. And we are only as strong as the many independent writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, critics, casting directors, film festival programmers and other working and non-working film professionals who make up our membership.

"The Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants enable us to not only recognize great work but also to provide much needed direct financial support to filmmakers," said Josh Welsh. "We're so appreciative of our grant funders, Kiehl's Since 1851 and Piaget. Through their funding of the Producers Award, Piaget has been a steadfast supporter of film artists for the last decade."

The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from 382 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.


 2017 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE

(Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)

           

American Honey - Producers: Thomas Benski, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Lucas Ochoa, Pouya Shahbazian, Alice Weinberg

Chronic - Producers: Michel Franco, Gina Kwon, Gabriel Ripstein, Moisés Zonana

Jackie - Producers: Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin, Ari Handel, Juan de Dios Larraín,    Mickey Liddell

Manchester by the Sea - Producers: Lauren Beck, Matt Damon, Chris Moore, Kimberly Steward,

Kevin J. Walsh

Moonlight - Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski

BEST FIRST FEATURE

(Award given to the director and producer)

            The Childhood of a Leader

            Director: Brady Corbet

           Producers: Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre, Chris Coen, Ron Curtis,

            Helena Danielsson, Mona Fastvold, István Major

            The Fits

            Director/Producer: Anna Rose Holmer

Producer: Lisa Kjerulff

            Other People

            Director: Chris Kelly

            Producers: Sam Bisbee, Adam Scott, Naomi Scott

Swiss Army Man

            Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Producers: Miranda Bailey, Lawrence Inglee, Lauren Mann, Amanda Marshall, Eyal Rimmon, Jonathan Wang

           

            The Witch

            Director: Robert Eggers

Producers: Daniel Bekerman, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Jodi Redmond, Rodrigo Teixeira

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.

            Free In Deed

            Writer/Director: Jake Mahaffy

Producers: Mike Bowes, Mike S. Ryan, Brent Stiefel

            Hunter Gatherer

            Writer/Director: Josh Locy

            Producers: Michael Covino, April Lamb, Sara Murphy, Isaiah Smallman

            Lovesong

            Writer/Director: So Yong Kim

            Writer/Producer: Bradley Rust Gray

Producers: David Hansen, Alex Lipschultz, Johnny Mac

            Nakom

            Writer/Director/Producer: TW Pittman

            Director/Producer: Kelly Daniela Norris

Writer/Producer: Isaac Adakudugu   

            Producer: Giovanni Ximénez

            Spa Night

Writer/Director: Andrew Ahn

            Producers: David Ariniello, Giulia Caruso, Ki Jin Kim, Kelly Thomas

BEST DIRECTOR

Andrea Arnold

American Honey

           

            Barry Jenkins

            Moonlight

            Pablo Larraín        

            Jackie

            Jeff Nichols

            Loving

            Kelly Reichardt

            Certain Women

BEST SCREENPLAY

            Barry Jenkins

            Story By Tarell Alvin McCraney     

            Moonlight

            Kenneth Lonergan

            Manchester by the Sea

            Mike Mills

            20th Century Women

            Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias

            Little Men

            Taylor Sheridan

            Hell or High Water

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

            Robert Eggers

            The Witch

            Chris Kelly

            Other People

Adam Mansbach

Barry

Stella Meghie

Jean of the Joneses

            Craig Shilowich

            Christine

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

            Ava Berkofsky

Free In Deed

            Lol Crawley

            The Childhood of a Leader

            Zach Kuperstein

The Eyes of My Mother

James Laxton

 Moonlight

Robbie Ryan

American Honey

BEST EDITING        

Matthew Hannam

Swiss Army Man

           

Jennifer Lame

 Manchester by the Sea

Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders

Moonlight

Jake Roberts

Hell or High Water

Sebastián Sepúlveda

Jackie

 

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Annette Bening

20th Century Women

Isabelle Huppert

Elle

Sasha Lane

American Honey

           

Ruth Negga

Loving

Natalie Portman

Jackie

BEST MALE LEAD

Casey Affleck

Manchester by the Sea

David Harewood

Free In Deed

Viggo Mortensen

Captain Fantastic

Jesse Plemons

Other People

Tim Roth

 Chronic

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Edwina Findley

Free In Deed

Paulina Garcia

Little Men

Lily Gladstone

Certain Women

Riley Keough

American Honey

Molly Shannon

Other People

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Ralph Fiennes

A Bigger Splash

Ben Foster

Hell or High Water

Lucas Hedges

Manchester by the Sea

Shia LaBeouf

American Honey

Craig Robinson

Morris from America

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - (Given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast)

Moonlight

Director: Barry Jenkins

Casting Director: Yesi Ramirez

Ensemble Cast: Mahershala Ali, Patrick Decile, Naomie Harris, Alex Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monáe, Jaden Piner, Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders

Shia LaBeouf

American Honey

Craig Robinson

Morris from America

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

            13th

            Director/Producer: Ava DuVernay

            Producers: Spencer Averick, Howard Barish

Cameraperson

            Director/Producer: Kirsten Johnson

            Producer: Marilyn Ness

I Am Not Your Negro           

            Director/Producer: Raoul Peck

            Producers: Rémi Grellety, Hérbert Peck      

            O.J.: Made in America

            Director/Producer: Ezra Edelman

            Producers: Nina Krstic, Tamara Rosenberg, Caroline Waterlow

Sonita

            Director: Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami

            Producer: Gerd Haag

Under the Sun

Director: Vitaly Mansky

Producer: Natalya Manskaya

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

Aquarius

(Brazil)

            Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho           

            Chevalier       

            (Greece)

            Director: Athina Tsangari

            My Golden Days

            (France)

            Director: Arnaud Desplechin

            Toni Erdmann

            (Germany and Romania)

            Director: Maren Ade

Under the Shadow   

            (Iran and U.K.)

            Director: Babak Anvari

10th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 10th 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.

Lisa Kjerulff

Jordana Mollick

Melody C. Roscher & Craig Shilowich

23rd ANNUAL KIEHL'S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 23rd 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.

 Andrew Ahn 

 Director of Spa Night

 Claire Carré

 Director of Embers    

Anna Rose Holmer

Director of The Fits

 Ingrid Jungermann

 Director of Women Who Kill

22nd TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 22nd 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.

Kristi Jacobson

Director of Solitary     

Sara Jordenö

 Director of Kiki

 Nanfu Wang

Director of Hooligan Sparrow


ABOUT THE FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

Now in its 32nd 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 Film Independent Spirit Awards are sponsored by Premier Sponsors Piaget, American Airlines, Jeep brand, IFC, and Principal Sponsor AT&T, as well as Breyers Gelato Indulgences. FIJI Water is the Official Water. WireImage is the Official Photographer. 

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that champions creative independence in visual storytelling 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.

Film Independent produces the Spirit Awards, the annual celebration honoring artist-driven films and recognizing the finest achievements of American independent filmmakers. Film Independent also produces the LA Film Festival, showcasing the best of American and international cinema and Film Independent at LACMA, 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!, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Stan Against Evil and 2017's Brockmire 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.