35th Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations Announced

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- This morning, Film Independent announced the nominations for the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The Spirit Awards are the primary fundraiser for Film Independent's year-round programs, which cultivate the careers of emerging filmmakers and promote diversity and inclusion in the industry. Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the press conference with actors Zazie Beetz (Atlanta, Joker, Deadpool 2) and Natasha Lyonne (Ad Astra, Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll) presenting the nominations, hosted by The LINE LA. Nominees for Best Feature included A Hidden Life, Clemency, The Farewell, Marriage Story and Uncut Gems.  This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Santa Monica beach-adjacent award show.

Marriage Story 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.

"The Film Independent Spirit Awards celebrate the best films of the year – films characterized by creative independence and original, provocative subject matter, as well as diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision," said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. "At a time when the film business is undergoing such change and challenges, it's important to loudly celebrate the work itself – the films! – and to recognize 2019 as a year of bold, audacious and accomplished filmmaking. That's what the Spirit Awards are all about."

Welsh added, "The Spirit Awards are a unique awards show in that the winners are chosen by the members of Film Independent, an open access organization made up of film lovers and filmmakers alike. To everyone who cares about film and who wants to help shine a bright light on the great work being made today, I urge you to join Film Independent by December 5 and become part of our voting body!"

Winners, who are selected by Film Independent Members, will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 8, 2020. The awards ceremony will be held on the beach in Santa Monica, just north of the Santa Monica Pier. The show will be broadcast live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT/ 5:00 pm ET.

The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from over 430 submissions this year and applied the following guidelines in determining the nominations: uniqueness of vision, original and provocative subject matter, economy of means. 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. Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant and Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 4, 2020.

Film Independent is proud to announce the return of its collaboration with American Airlines, who joins for the sixth year and returns to fund the Bonnie Award, recognizing a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant. And we welcome this year's Official Automotive Partner, Mazda.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Stephanie Terifay Bédiée, Director of Corporate Partnerships, [email protected]. To learn more about attending the Spirit Awards and supporting Film Independent please contact Jennifer Murby, Director of Individual Giving, [email protected].

For more information on submission guidelines, voting, the history of the Spirit Awards and more, please visit spiritawards.com.

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, receive DVD screeners of select nominees by mail and digital screeners online. Members must be current by December 5, 2019 to receive full voting benefits. Join today at filmindependent.org/join.

2020 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

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

A Hidden LifeProducers: Elisabeth Bentley, Dario Bergesio, Grant Hill, Josh Jeter 

ClemencyProducers: Timur Bekbosunov, Julian Cautherley, Bronwyn Cornelius, Peter Wong

The FarewellProducers: Anita Gou, Daniele Melia, Andrew Miano, Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub, Lulu Wang, Chris Weitz, Jane Zheng

Marriage StoryProducers: Noah Baumbach, David Heyman

Uncut GemsProducers: Eli Bush, Sebastian Bear-McClard, Scott Rudin

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

BooksmartDirector: Olivia WildeProducers: Chelsea Barnard, David Distenfeld, Jessica Elbaum, Megan Ellison, Katie Silberman

The ClimbDirector/Producer: Michael Angelo CovinoProducers: Noah Lang, Kyle Marvin

DianeDirector: Kent JonesProducers: Luca Borghese, Ben Howe, Caroline Kaplan, Oren Moverman

The Last Black Man in San FranciscoDirector/Producer: Joe TalbotProducers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Khaliah Neal, Christina Oh

The MustangDirector: Laure de Clermont-TonnerreProducer: Ilan Goldman

See You YesterdayDirector: Stefon BristolProducer: Spike Lee

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.)

Burning CaneWriter/Director/Producer: Phillip YoumansProducers: Ojo Akinlana, Jakob Johnson, Karen Kaia Livers, Mose Mayer, Wendell Pierce, Isaac Webb, Cassandra Youmans

ColewellWriter/Director: Tom QuinnProducers: Joshua Blum, Alexandra Byer, Craig Shilowich, Matthew Thurm

Give Me LibertyWriter/Director/Producer: Kirill MikhanovskyWriter/Producer: Alice AustenProducers: Val Abel, Wally Hall, Michael Manasseri, George Rush, Sergey Shtern

PrematureWriter/Director/Producer: Rashaad Ernesto GreenWriter: Zora HowardProducer: Darren Dean, Joy Ganes

Wild Nights With EmilyWriter/Director/Producer: Madeleine OlnekProducers: Anna Margarita Albelo, Casper Andreas, Max Rifkind-Barron

BEST DIRECTOR

Alma Har'elHoney Boy

Lorene ScafariaHustlers

Julius OnahLuce

Robert EggersThe Lighthouse

Benny Safdie & Josh SafdieUncut Gems

BEST SCREENPLAY

Noah BaumbachMarriage Story

Jason Begue, Shawn SnyderTo Dust

Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie & Josh SafdieUncut Gems

Chinonye ChukwuClemency

Tarell Alvin McCraneyHigh Flying Bird

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Fredrica Bailey & Stefon BristolSee You Yesterday

Hannah Bos & Paul ThureenDriveways

Bridget Savage Cole & Danielle KrudyBlow the Man Down

Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn LuebbeGreener Grass

James Montague & Craig W. SangerThe Vast of Night

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Todd BanhazlHustlers

Jarin BlaschkeThe Lighthouse

Natasha BraierHoney Boy

Chananun ChotrungrojThe Third Wife

Pawel PogorzelskiMidsommar

BEST EDITING

Julie BéziauThe Third Wife

Ronald Bronstein & Benny SafdieUncut Gems

Tyler L. CookSword of Trust           

Louise FordThe Lighthouse

Kirill MikhanovskyGive Me Liberty

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Karen AllenColewell

Hong ChauDriveways

Elisabeth MossHer Smell

Mary Kay PlaceDiane

Alfre WoodardClemency

Renée ZellwegerJudy

BEST MALE LEAD

Chris GalustGive Me Liberty

Kelvin Harrison Jr.Luce

Robert PattinsonThe Lighthouse

Matthias SchoenaertsThe Mustang

Adam SandlerUncut Gems

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Jennifer LopezHustlers

Taylor RussellWaves

Lauren "LoLo" SpencerGive Me Liberty

Octavia SpencerLuce

Zhao ShuzhenThe Farewell

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Willem DafoeThe Lighthouse

Noah JupeHoney Boy

Shia LaBeoufHoney Boy

Jonathan MajorsThe Last Black Man in San Francisco

Wendell PierceBurning Cane

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast

Marriage StoryDirector: Noah BaumbachCasting Directors: Douglas Aibel, Francine MaislerEnsemble Cast: Alan Alda, Laura Dern, Adam Driver, Julie Hagerty, Scarlett Johansson, Ray Liotta, Azhy Robertson, Merritt Wever

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

American FactoryDirector/Producer: Steven Bognar & Julia ReichertProducers: Julie Parker Benello, Jeff Reichert

Apollo 11Director/Producer: Todd Douglas MillerProducers: Evan Krauss, Thomas Baxley Petersen

For SamaDirector: Edward WattsDirector/Producer: Waad al-Kateab

HoneylandDirector: Tamara KotevskaDirector/Producer: Ljubo StefanovProducer: Atanas Georgiev

Island of the Hungry GhostsDirector/Producer: Gabrielle BradyProducers: Gizem Acarla, Samm Haillay, Alex Kelly, Alexander Wadouh

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

Invisible LifeBrazilDirector: Karim Aïnouz

Les MisérablesFranceDirector: Ladj Ly

ParasiteSouth KoreaDirector: Bong Joon-Ho

Portrait of a Lady on FireFranceDirector: Céline Sciamma

RetabloPeruDirector: Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio L.

The Souvenir United KingdomDirector: Joanna Hogg

BONNIE AWARD – Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the third Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.

Marielle HellerKelly ReichardtLulu Wang

PRODUCERS AWARD – The 23rd annual 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.

Mollye AsherKrista ParrisRyan Zacarias

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 26th 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.

Rashaad Ernesto GreenDirector of Premature

Ash MayfairDirector of The Third Wife

Joe TalbotDirector of The Last Black Man in San Francisco

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 25th 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.

Khalik AllahDirector of Black Mother

Davy RothbartDirector of 17 Blocks

Nadia Shihab Director of Jaddoland

Erick Stoll & Chase WhitesideDirector of América

About the Film Independent Spirit AwardsNow in its 35th 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 American Airlines, IFC and Mazda. Bulleit Frontier Whiskey is the Official Spirit. FIJI Water is the Official Water. Getty Images is the Official Photographer. Town & Country Event Rentals is the Exclusive Rental Company.

About Film Independent For over 38 years, Film Independent has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen. The nonprofit's mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling and support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision.

In addition to producing the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the organization supports creative professionals with Artist Development programs, grants and labs, and signature mentorship program Project Involve fosters the careers of talented filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Weekly Education events and workshops equip filmmakers of all ages and experience levels with tools and resources. International programs include Global Media Makers, a cultural exchange program that provides career-building opportunities for international film professionals. Year-round screening series Film Independent Presents delivers monthly, unique cinematic experiences to Members in Los Angeles and beyond.

While working to make the entertainment industry more inclusive, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists. Film lovers, industry professionals and anyone passionate about visual storytelling can become a Member at filmindependent.org and find @FilmIndependent across social platforms.

About IFCIFC is the home of offbeat, unexpected comedies. Acclaimed series Documentary Now!, Brockmire, Baroness von Sketch Show, Sherman's Showcase and the upcoming Year of the Rabbit 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.

Media Credential Applications:filmindependent.org/press

BY DISTRIBUTOR

47 NOMINATED FILMS

Contact: Melanie Bates, Film Independent Tel: 323 556 9338 or [email protected] Seanna Hore, Ginsberg/Libby Tel: 323 645 6800 or [email protected]

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SOURCE Film Independent