The Independent Spirit Awards are given out by a large non-profit dedicated to promoting independently-produced film projects. To be eligible, a film must come out in the 2012 calendar year, it must be independently produced, it must have a budget not exceeding $20 million, and it must be made in America.
This year there is a bit of controversy as it seems Silver Linings Playbook should not have been eligible since its budget may have exceed $20 million. This has upset many because it lessens the attention lower budget films receive. For all the details on that story, read this unofficial Screened article on it (by me).
So, the nominees are:
Best Feature
Best Director
Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Ira Sachs, Keep the Lights On
Julia Loktev, The Loneliest Planet
Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom
David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Actor
Jack Black, "Bernie"
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
John Hawkes, "The Sessions"
Thure Lindhardt, "Keep the Lights On"
Matthew McConaughey, "Killer Joe"
Wendell Pierce, "Four"
Best Actress
Linda Cardellini, "Return"
Emayatzy Corinealdi, "Middle of Nowhere"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, "Smashed"
Best Supporting Actor
Matthew McConaughey, "Magic Mike"
David Oyelowo, "Middle of Nowhere"
Michael Peña, "End of Watch"
Sam Rockwell, "Seven Psychopaths"
Bruce Willis, "Moonrise Kingdom"
Best Supporting Actress
Rosemarie DeWitt, "Your Sister's Sister"
Ann Dowd, "Compliance"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Brit Marling, "Sound of My Voice"
Lorraine Toussaint, "Middle of Nowhere"
Best Screenplay
Ira Sachs, "Keep the Lights On"
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"
Zoe Kazan, "Ruby Sparks"
Martin McDonagh, "Seven Psychopaths"
David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Best First Feature
"Fill the Void"
"Gimme the Loot"
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"Safety Not Guaranteed"
"Sound of My Voice"
Best First Screenplay
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, "Celeste and Jesse Forever"
Rama Burshtein, "Fill the Void"
Jonathan Lisecki, "Gayby"
Christopher Ford, "Robot and Frank"
Derek Connolly, "Safety Not Guaranteed"
Best Documentary
"The Central Park Five"
"How to Survive a Plague"
"The Invisible War"
"Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present"
"The Waiting Room"
Best Cinematography
Ben Richardson, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Roman Vasyanov, "End of Watch"
Lol Crawley, "Here"
Robert Yeoman, "Moonrise Kingdom"
Yoni Brook, "Valley of Saints"
Best International Film
"Amour"
"Once Upon a Time in Anatolia"
"Rust and Bone"
"Sister"
"War Witch"
John Cassavetes Award
"Breakfast With Curtis"
"The Color Wheel"
"Middle of Nowhere"
"Mosquita y Mari"
"Starlet"
Robert Altman Award
"Starlet"
Truer Than Fiction Award
"Leviathan"
"Only the Young"
"The Waiting Room"
Someone to Watch Award
Rebecca Thomas, "Electrick Children"
Adam Leon, "Gimme the Loot"
David Finker, "Pincus"
Producers' Award
"Nobody Walks"
"Prince Avalanche"
"Stones in the Sun"
