Film Independent has shifted to gender-neutral acting categories for the 2023 Spirit Awards. The acting categories encompass both film and television.
And in response to the rising cost of production, the organization has increased the budget cap for eligible films to $30 million, with the budget cap for the beloved John Cassavetes Award now $1 million. The Spirit Awards will be held on March 4, 2023. Submissions are now open.
“We’re thrilled to join the other festivals and award shows that are already moving to celebrate great acting without reference to gender. We’re also happy to welcome non-binary performers into the Spirit Awards without forcing them to choose to identify as male or female,” said Film Independent president Josh Welsh. “Additionally, it has been a long time since we substantially increased the budget limit for eligibility. This new cap allows us to continue to celebrate the same breadth of work that we have in the past.”
Honoring a longstanding commitment to inclusivity and representation, Film Independent is the most recent organization to implement non-gendered awards. Other awards to embrace non-gendered categories include The Grammys, The Gotham Awards, The British Independent Film Awards, and the MTV Movie & TV Awards. No longer defined by gender, awards in the lead and supporting film acting categories will instead be known as Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance. Awards in the television acting categories will similarly be known as Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series.
Other category updates include new awards for Best Breakthrough Performance (film) and Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series (television). All performance categories, excluding Breakthrough Performance, will feature up to 10 nominees. The modified performance categories are as follows:
SPIRIT AWARDS PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES – FILM
- Best Lead Performance (10 nominees)
- Best Supporting Performance (10 nominees)
- Best Breakthrough Performance (5 nominees) *new award
SPIRIT AWARDS PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES – TELEVISION
- Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series (10 nominees)
- Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series (10 nominees) *new award
Film Independent has also increased the budget cap for eligible films to $30 million to account for the rising cost of production. Over the years, the budget cap has increased incrementally from $20 million in 2006 to $22.5 million in 2019. The budget cap for The John Cassavetes Award, presented to a film’s writer, director and producer, also increased from $500K to $1 million.
In response to the continuing effects of COVID on filmmakers and the industry, Film Independent is once again waiving the theatrical run typically required for eligibility, ensuring more opportunities for independent filmmakers to be recognized and celebrated.
The Spirit Awards is the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs, which help cultivate the careers of emerging filmmakers and promote inclusion in the industry. Film nominations for the 2023 Spirit Awards will be announced virtually on November 22, 2022. Television nominations will be announced on December 13, 2022. The ceremony will take place on March 4, 2023.
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakersโ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including โDeath of Mr. Peanut.โ He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose โFirst Kid. Second Kidโ campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. Heโs gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. Heโs accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
โMike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,โ said Goldberg. โMikeโs got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. Heโs got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what weโre about.โ
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