LOS ANGELES, CA — Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards this morning. Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale served as presenters. Nominees for Best Feature include "50/50," " "Beginners," "Drive," "Take Shelter," "The Artist" and "The Descendants."

"Margin Call" was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast.  



"The Film Independent Spirit Awards recognize the finest artistic achievements across the broad spectrum of independent filmmaking — from emerging talent working on a shoestring budget to established auteurs," said Film Independent Senior Director Sean Mc Manus. "The 2012 nominees tell their stories in such an authentic way and reflect the inclusive nature of the independent filmmaking community. We are delighted to support them and expand the audience for their work."

"The Spirit Awards focuses primarily on American independents, so it was an honor to serve alongside an esteemed and dedicated group of indie film colleagues to determine many of the 2012 nominees," said producer and Chair of the American Narrative Feature Nominating Committee Gail Mutrux. "It was an invigorating process — experiencing first-hand the vast array of storytelling that defines independent film, and discovering many new talents whose films inspired us."

Winners will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 25, 2012. The 27th annual awards ceremony will be held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, and the premiere broadcast will air later that evening at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on IFC. Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be highlighted during the awards ceremony and announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.

The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from 277 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 & individual compensation), and percentage of financing from independent sources. The Spirit Awards Nominating Committee was comprised of the following committees:

The American Narrative Nominating Committee was chaired by producer Gail Mutrux and included: film critic/journalist Robert Abele; writer Dustin Lance Black; producers Stuart Cornfeld, Barry Mendel; actors Dale Dickey, Andre Royo, Souleymane Sy Savane; cinematographers Paula Huidobro, Stephen Goldblatt; writer/directors Courtney Hunt, Robert D. Siegel; writer/director/producer Malcolm D. Lee; director Floria Sigismondi; casting director Margery Simkin; and writer Dan Waters.

The Documentary Feature Nominating Committee was chaired by CEO Landmark Theatres Ted Mundorff and included: producer Lesley Chilcott; KCET's Juan Devis; director Laura Gabbert; author/filmmaker Nelson George; filmmaker John Maringouin; San Francisco Film Society's Director of Programming Rachel Rosen; and Los Angeles Times and NPR's Morning Edition film critic Kenneth Turan.

The International Feature Nominating Committee was chaired by filmmaker Mary Sweeney and included: actors Shohreh Aghdashloo, Demian Bichir; Film Society of Lincoln Center's Director of Digital Strategy Eugene Hernandez; director Leon Ichaso; writer/director Larry Karaszewski; producer/director Hossein Keshavarz; cinematographer Ellen Kuras; composer Cliff Martinez; and producer Frida Torresblanco.

The Piaget Producers Award Nominating Committee was chaired by producer Brian Udovich and included: producers Anish Savjani, Lynette Howell and Amy Kaufman.

The Someone to Watch Award Nominating Committee was chaired by producer Alison Dickey and included: filmmaker Jay Duplass; Dallas Film Society Artistic Director James Faust; "Denver Post" film critic Lisa Kennedy; and writer/director Daniel Stamm.

The Truer Than Fiction Award Nominating Committee was chaired by film critic Wesley Morris and included: filmmakers Ava DuVernay, Laura Poitras; filmmaker/cinematographer PJ Raval; and programmer Laura Thielen.

As the first event to exclusively honor independent film, the Film Independent Spirit Awards has made a name for itself as the premier awards show for the independent film community. Artists who have received industry recognition first at the Spirit Awards include Joel & Ethan Coen, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, Ashley Judd, Robert Rodriguez, David O. Russell, Edward Burns, Aaron Eckhart, Neil LaBute, Darren Aronofsky, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, Hilary Swank, Marc Forster, Todd Field, Christopher Nolan, Zach Braff, Amy Adams, Lena Dunham and many more.

2012 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations

Best Feature 
"50/50"
"Beginners"
"Drive"
"Take Shelter"
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"

Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Mike Mills, "Beginners"
Jeff Nichols, "Take Shelter"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Nicolas Winding Refn, "Drive"

Best Screenplay
Joseph Cedar, "Footnote"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Tom McCarthy, "Win Win"
Mike Mills, "Beginners"
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"

Best First Feature
"Another Earth" directed by Mike Cahill
"In the Family" directed by Patrick Wang
"Margin Call" directed by J.C. Chandor
"Martha Marcy May Marlene" directed by Sean Durkin
"Natural Selection" directed by Robbie Pickering

Best First Screenplay
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling, "Another Earth"
J.C. Chandor, "Margin Call"
Patrick deWitt, "Terri"
Phil Johnston, "Cedar Rapids"
Will Reiser, "50/50"

John Cassavetes Award (Best feature made for under $500,000)
"Bellflower"
"Circumstance"
"Hello Lonesome"
"Pariah"
"The Dynamiter"

Best Female Lead
Lauren Ambrose, "Think of Me"
Rachael Harris, "Natural Selection"
Adepero Oduye, "Pariah"
Elizabeth Olsen, "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"

Best Male Lead
Demián Bichir, "A Better Life"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Ryan Gosling, "Drive"
Woody Harrelson, "Rampart"
Michael Shannon, "Take Shelter"

Best Supporting Female
Jessica Chastain, "Take Shelter"
Anjelica Huston, "50/50"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Harmony Santana, "Gun Hill Road"
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"

Best Supporting Male
Albert Brooks, "Drive"
John Hawkes, "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
John C. Reilly, "Cedar Rapids"
Corey Stoll, "Midnight in Paris"

Best Cinematography
Joel Hodge, "Bellflower"
Benjamin Kasulke, "The Off Hours"
Darius Khondji, "Midnight in Paris"
Guillaume Schiffman, "The Artist"
Jeffrey Waldron, "The Dynamiter"

Best Documentary
"An African Election"
"Bill Cunningham New York"
"The Interrupters"
"The Redemption of General Butt Naked"
"We Were Here"

Best International Film
"A Separation" (Iran) directed by Asghar Farhadi
"Melancholia" (Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany) directed by Lars von Trier
"Shame" (UK) directed by Steve McQueen
"The Kid with a Bike" (Belgium/France/Italy) directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
"Tyrannosaur" (UK) directed by Paddy Considine

Piaget Producers Award – The 15th annual Piaget 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 funded by Piaget.

Chad Burris, "Mosquita y Mari"
Sophia Lin. "Take Shelter"
Josh Mond, "Martha Marcy May Marlene"

Someone to Watch Award – The 18th 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.

Simon Arthur, "Silver Tongues"
Mark Jackson, "Without"
Nicholas Ozeki, "Mamitas"

Truer than Fiction Award – The 17th 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.

Heather Courtney, "Where Soldiers Come From"
Danfung Dennis, "Hell and Back Again"
Alma Har'el, "Bombay Beach"

Robert Altman Award - (Given to one film's director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

"Margin Call"
Director: J.C. Chandor
Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci


TOTALS PER FILM

Film Title - # of Nominations

"Take Shelter" - 5
"The Artist" - 5
"Beginners" - 4
"Drive" - 4
"The Descendants" - 4
"Martha Marcy May Marlene" - 4
"50/50" - 3
"Another Earth" - 2
"Bellflower" - 2
"Cedar Rapids" - 2
"Margin Call" - 2
"Midnight in Paris" - 2
"Natural Selection" - 2
"Pariah" - 2
"The Dynamiter" - 2
"A Better Life" - 1
"A Separation" - 1
"Albert Nobbs" - 1
"An African Election" - 1
"Bill Cunningham New York" - 1
"Bombay Beach" - 1
"Circumstance" - 1
"Footnote" - 1
"Gun Hill Road" - 1
"Hell and Back Again" - 1
"Hello Lonesome" - 1
"In the Family" - 1
"Mamitas" - 1
"Melancholia" - 1
"Mosquito y Mari" - 1
"My Week with Marilyn" - 1
"Rampart" - 1
"The Redemption of General Butt Naked" - 1
"Shame" - 1
"Silver Tongues" - 1
"Terri" - 1
"The Interrupters" - 1
"The Kid with a Bike" - 1
"The Off Hours" - 1
"Think of Me" - 1
"Tyrannosaur" - 1
"We Were Here" - 1
"Where Soldiers Come From" - 1
"Win Win" - 1