30th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards, LA
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| Ellar Coltrane & Patricia Arquette | Photo: Amanda Edwards/WireImage |
When: Saturday, February 21, 2015
Hot Spot: A tent in Santa Monica Beach, LA
Deets: Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA, handed out top honors to Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Boyhood, Whiplashand Nightcrawler at this afternoon’s 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Still Alice, Dear White People, Ida, Land Ho! and CITIZENFOUR also received awards at the ceremony, which was held in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. Inherent Vice received the Robert Altman Award and Foxcatcher received a Special Distinction Award. In addition to being the celebration that honors artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody independence and originality, the Spirit Awards is the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs. The ceremony aired live today on IFC and a rebroadcast will air later this evening, please check your local listings for times. Clips from the ceremony are available on Yahoo and Film Independent’s YouTube channel after the show.
This year’s major category winners were Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); which won Best Feature, Best Male Lead and Best Cinematography, Boyhood; which won Best Director and Best Supporting Female, Nightcrawler; which won Best First Feature and Best Screenplay and Whiplash; which won Best Supporting Male and Best Editing; Still Alice, which won Best Female Lead;Dear White People, which won Best First Screenplay; Land Ho!, which won the John Cassavetes Award; Ida, which won Best International Film and CITIZENFOUR, which won Best Documentary.
The 8th annual Robert Altman Award was given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice received this award, along with casting director Cassandra Kulukundis and ensemble cast members Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon and Michael Kenneth Williams.
The Special Distinction Award, given to a film for its uniqueness of vision, honesty of direction and screenwriting, superb acting and overall filmmaking achievement, was given to Foxcatcher. The award was given to director/producer Bennett Miller, producers Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik, writers E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman, actors Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum.
The 2015 Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Fellowship which includes a cash grant of $10,000 was awarded to Christina Choe. This annual award is given to a filmmaker currently participating in a Film Independent Artist Development program with the mission of diversity in mind. Choe, a participant in the 2015 Directing Lab, is currently in active pre-production on her first narrative feature film, Nancy.
The following is a complete list of the winners:
Best Feature: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures), Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
Best Director: Richard Linklater (IFC Films)
Best Screenplay: Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
Best First Feature: Nightcrawler (Open Road Films), Director: Dan Gilroy, Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak
Best First Screenplay: Justin Simien, Dear White People (Roadside Attractions/ Lionsgate)
John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): Land Ho! (Sony Pictures Classics), Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens, Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy
Best Supporting Female: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood (IFC Films)
Best Supporting Male: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Female Lead: Julianne Moore, Still Alice (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Male Lead: Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Robert Altman Award: Inherent Vice (Warner Bros.), Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, Casting Director: Cassandra Kulukundis, Ensemble Cast: Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Kenneth Williams.
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Best Editing: Tom Cross, Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best International Film: Ida (Poland – Music Box Films), Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Documentary: CITIZENFOUR (RADiUS-TWC / HBO Documentary Films / Participant Media), Director: Laura Poitras; Producers: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky
Special Distinction Award: Foxcatcher (Sony Pictures Classics), Director/Producer: Bennett Miller, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik, Writers: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman, Actors: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum
Spotted: Josh Welsh (President of Film Independent), hosts Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell and Honorary Chair Kerry Washington, Cate Blanchett, Jessica Chastain, Ellar Coltrane, Mark Duplass, Carmen Ejogo, Zach Galifianakis, Ethan Hawke, Gillian Jacobs, Scarlett Johansson, Jared Leto, Diego Luna, Ewan McGregor, Alfred Molina, Julianne Moore, Olivia Munn, David Oyelowo, Alexander Payne, Michael Pena, Aubrey Plaza, Craig Robinson, Emmy Rossum, Andy Samberg, Dax Shepard, Jenny Slate, Emma Stone, Miles Teller, Marisa Tomei, Kristen Wiig, and Oprah Winfrey, Riz Ahmed, Paul Thomas Anderson, Patricia Arquette, Andre Benjamin, Jason Blum, Effie T. Brown, Damien Chazelle, Marion Cotillard, Ava DuVernay, Carmen Ejogo, Dan Gilroy, Alejandro G. Iñarritu, Michael Keaton, Rinko Kikuchi, Richard Linklater, Jena Malone, Andrea Suarez Paz, Joaquin Phoenix, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Justin Simien, J.K. Simmons, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio Del Toro, Adam Wingard and David Zellner
Hint For The Average Socialite: Socialites were able to bid to win VIP tickets here; Tables were available for purchase by contacting Jennifer Murby at 310.432.1253 or jmurby@filmindependent.org. To get individual tickets, you must be a member of the Arts Circle.
As previously announced, the awards ceremony aired live exclusively at 2:00 pm PT / 5:00 pm ET and premiered later that evening at 10:00 pm ET/PT exclusively on IFC, with Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell co-hosting the show.
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