LOS ANGELES -- (SPW) --

This morning, Film Independent announced the nominations for the 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards and revealed that director Ava DuVernay (Selma, 13th, A Wrinkle in Time) will be this year’s Honorary Chair. Past Honorary Chairs include David Oyelowo, Jessica Chastain, Kerry Washington, Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese. The Spirit Awards are the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs, which cultivate the careers of emerging filmmakers and promote diversity in the industry. Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the press conference held at the Jeremy Hotel in West Hollywood, with actors Lily Collins and Tessa Thompson presenting the nominations. Nominees for Best Feature included Call Me by Your Name, The Florida Project, Get Out, Lady Bird and The Rider.

“This year's nominations reflect the range and vitality of artist-driven, independent film,” said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “Diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision are the hallmarks of the Film Independent Spirit Awards, and the films this year powerfully embody all those qualities." 

"We are so happy to have Ava DuVernay as our Spirit Awards Honorary Chair," added Welsh, "Ava is a remarkable filmmaker – a writer, director and producer we have celebrated at the Spirit Awards and the LA Film Festival. More than that, she is a leader and a powerful voice for change, in the industry and beyond."

Mudbound 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.

Winners, who are selected by Film Independent Members, will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, March 3, 2018. The awards ceremony co-hosted by Nick Kroll and John Mulaney will be held on the beach in Santa Monica, just north of the Santa Monica Pier. The show will broadcast live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT/ 5:00 pm ET.

Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants and Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 6, 2018, at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.

The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from 400 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 and individual compensation) and percentage of financing from independent sources. 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.

To learn more about table sales, attendance and donations please contact

For more information on submission guidelines, voting, media and publicist credentials, and the history of the Spirit Awards, 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 7, 2017 to receive full voting benefits. Join today at filmindependent.org/join

2018 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE

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

Call Me by Your Name         

Producers: Peter Spears, Luca Guadagnino, Emilie Georges, Rodrigo Teixeira, Marco Morabito, James Ivory, Howard Rosenman

The Florida Project  

Producers: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch, Kevin Chinoy, Andrew Duncan, Alex Saks, Francesca Silvestri, Shih-Ching Tsou

Get Out          

Producers: Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr., Sean McKittrick, Jordan Peele

Lady Bird      

Producers: Eli Bush, Evelyn O’Neill, Scott Rudin

The Rider      

Producers: Mollye Asher, Bert Hamelinck, Sacha Ben Harroche, Chloé Zhao

 

BEST FIRST FEATURE

(Award given to the director and producer)

Columbus

Director: Kogonada

Producers: Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Aaron Boyd, Giulia Caruso, Ki Jin Kim, Andrew Miano, Chris Weitz

Ingrid Goes West     

Director: Matt Spicer

Producers: Jared Ian Goldman, Adam Mirels, Robert Mirels, Aubrey Plaza, Tim White, Trevor White

Menashe

Director/Producer: Joshua Z. Weinstein

Producers: Yoni Brook, Traci Carlson, Daniel Finkelman, Alex Lipschultz

Oh Lucy!

Director/Producer: Atsuko Hirayanagi

Producers: Jessica Elbaum, Yukie Kito, Han West

Patti Cake$   

Director: Geremy Jasper

Producers: Chris Columbus, Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Noah Stahl, Rodrigo Teixeira

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.)

Dayveon      

Writer/Director/Producer: Amman Abbasi

Writer: Steven Reneau

Producers: Lachion Buckingham, Alexander Uhlmann

 

A Ghost Story         

Writer/Director: David Lowery

Producers: Adam Donaghey, Toby Halbrooks, James M. Johnston

 

Life and nothing more       

Writer/Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza

Producers: Amadeo Hernández Bueno, Alvaro Portanet Hernández, Pedro Hernández Santos

 

Most Beautiful Island         

Writer/Director/Producer: Ana Asensio

Producers: Larry Fessenden, Noah Greenberg, Chadd Harbold, Jenn Wexler

 

The Transfiguration

Writer/Director: Michael O'Shea

Producer: Susan Leber

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Sean Baker The Florida Project 

Jonas Carpignano A Ciambra      

Luca Guadagnino Call Me by Your Name 

Jordan Peele Get Out 

Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie Good Time     

Chloé Zhao The Rider       

 

BEST SCREENPLAY

Greta Gerwig Lady Bird        

Azazel Jacobs The Lovers     

Martin McDonagh Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri   

Jordan Peele Get Out          

Mike White Beatriz at Dinner

 

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Kris Avedisian

Story By: Kyle Espeleta, Jesse Wakeman

Donald Cried  

Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani

The Big Sick  

Ingrid Jungermann

Women Who Kill

Kogonada

Columbus       

David Branson Smith, Matt Spicer

Ingrid Goes West

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Thimios Bakatakis The Killing of a Sacred Deer 

Elisha Christian Columbus       

Hélène Louvart Beach Rats    

Sayombhu Mukdeeprom Call Me by Your Name          

Joshua James Richards The Rider

 

BEST EDITING         

Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie Good Time

Walter Fasano Call Me by Your Name          

Alex O'Flinn The Rider

Gregory Plotkin Get Out          

Tatiana S. Riegel I, Tonya          

 

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Salma Hayek Beatriz at Dinner        

Frances McDormand Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Margot Robbie I, Tonya

Saoirse Ronan Lady Bird        

Shinobu Terajima Oh Lucy!        

Regina Williams Life and nothing more

 

BEST MALE LEAD

Timothée Chalamet Call Me by Your Name

Harris Dickinson Beach Rats    

James Franco The Disaster Artist

Daniel Kaluuya Get Out          

Robert Pattinson Good Time     

 

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Holly Hunter The Big Sick

Allison Janney I, Tonya          

Laurie Metcalf Lady Bird                    

Lois Smith Marjorie Prime

Taliah Lennice Webster Good Time

 

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Nnamdi Asomugha Crown Heights

Armie Hammer Call Me by Your Name 

Barry Keoghan The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Sam Rockwell Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri   

Benny Safdie Good Time

 

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

Mudbound

Director: Dee Rees

Casting Directors: Billy Hopkins, Ashley Ingram

Ensemble Cast: Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan, Carey Mulligan

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

The Departure          

Director/Producer: Lana Wilson

Faces Places

Directors: Agnés Varda, JR

Producer: Rosalie Varda

Last Men in Aleppo 

Director: Feras Fayyad

Producers: Kareem Abeed, Søeren Steen Jespersen, Stefan Kloos

Motherland   

Director/Producer: Ramona S. Diaz

Producer: Rey Cuerdo

Quest

Director: Jonathan Olshefski

Producer: Sabrina Schmidt Gordon

 

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

BPM (Beats Per Minute)      

France

Director: Robin Campillo

 

A Fantastic Woman 

Chile

Director: Sebastián Lelio

 

I Am Not a Witch      

Zambia

Director: Rungano Nyoni

 

Lady Macbeth           

U.K.

Director: William Oldroyd

 

Loveless        

Russia

Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev

 

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 inaugural Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.

So Yong Kim

Lynn Shelton

Chloé Zhao

 

JEEP TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 23rd annual Truer Than Fiction Award, funded by the Jeep brand, 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 funded by the Jeep brand.

Shevaun Mizrahi Director of Distant Constellation        

Jonathan Olshefski Director of Quest       

Jeff Unay  Director of The Cage Fighter

 

KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 24th annual Someone to Watch Award, funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.

Amman Abbasi Director of Dayveon

Justin Chon Director of Gook        

Kevin Phillips Director of Super Dark Times

 

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 21st annual Producers Award, funded by Piaget, 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.

Giulia Caruso & Ki Jin Kim

Ben LeClair

Summer Shelton

In addition, Visit Seattle will fund the Seattle Story Award, which is still open for nominations. The winning filmmaker will exhibit innovation, diversity and uniqueness of vision while having a history of transforming perspectives through rich stories. The recipient will receive a $25,000 cash grant to create a short film inspired by Seattle’s independent spirit. This film will premiere during the Spirit Awards broadcast.

BY DISTRIBUTOR

Distributor	NOMINATIONS	#
A24	The Disaster Artist, Best Male Lead The Florida Project, Best Director The Florida Project, Best Feature A Ghost Story, John Cassavetes Award Good Time, Best Director Good Time, Best Editing Good Time, Best Male Lead Good Time, Best Supporting Female Good Time, Best Supporting Male The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Best Cinematography The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Best Supporting Male Lady Bird, Best Feature Lady Bird, Best Female Lead Lady Bird, Best Screenplay Lady Bird, Best Supporting Female The Lovers, Best Screenplay Menashe, Best First Feature	17
Amazon Studios	The Big Sick, Best First Screenplay The Big Sick, Best Supporting Female Crown Heights, Best Supporting Male	3
Cohen Media Group	Faces Places, Best Documentary	1
Film Movement	Oh Lucy!, Best Female Lead Oh Lucy!, Best First Feature	2
FilmRise	Dayveon, John Cassavetes Award Dayveon, Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award Marjorie Prime, Best Supporting Female Motherland, Best Documentary The Departure, Best Documentary Women Who Kill, Best First Screenplay	6
Fox Searchlight Pictures	Patti Cake$, Best First Feature Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, Best Female Lead Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, Best Screenplay Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, Best Supporting Male	4
Grasshopper Film	Last Men in Aleppo, Best Documentary	1
NEON	Beach Rats, Best Cinematography Beach Rats, Best Male Lead I, Tonya, Best Editing I, Tonya, Best Female Lead I, Tonya, Best Supporting Female Ingrid Goes West, Best First Feature Ingrid Goes West, Best First Screenplay	7
Netflix	Mudbound, Robert Altman Award	1
Roadside Attractions	Beatriz at Dinner, Best Female Lead Beatriz at Dinner, Best Screenplay Lady Macbeth, Best International Film	3
Samuel Goldwyn Films	Gook, Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award Most Beautiful Island, John Cassavetes Award	2
Sony Pictures Classics	Call Me by Your Name, Best Cinematography Call Me by Your Name, Best Director Call Me by Your Name, Best Editing Call Me by Your Name, Best Feature Call Me by Your Name, Best Male Lead Call Me by Your Name, Best Supporting Male A Fantastic Woman, Best International Film Loveless, Best International Film The Rider, Best Cinematography The Rider, Best Director The Rider, Best Editing The Rider, Best Feature	12
Strand Releasing	The Transfiguration, John Cassavetes Award	1
Sundance Selects	The Cage Fighter, Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award A Ciambra, Best Director	2
The Orchard	BPM (Beats Per Minute), Best International Film Donald Cried, Best First Screenplay Super Dark Times, Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award	3
Universal Pictures	Get Out, Best Director Get Out, Best Editing Get Out, Best Feature        Get Out, Best Male Lead Get Out, Best Screenplay	5
No Distributor	Columbus, Best Cinematography, Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay Distant Constellation, Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award I Am Not a Witch, Best International Film Life and nothing more, Best Female Lead, John Cassavetes Award Quest, Best Documentary, Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award	# of films without distributor 5

44 NOMINATED FILMS

FILM TITLE	CATEGORIES	#
A Ciambra	Best Director	1
Beach Rats	Best Cinematography Best Male Lead	2
Beatriz at Dinner	Best Female Lead Best Screenplay	2
The Big Sick	Best First Screenplay Best Supporting Female	2
BPM (Beats Per Minute)	Best International Film	1
The Cage Fighter	Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award	1
Call Me by Your Name	Best Cinematography Best Director Best Editing Best Feature Best Male Lead Best Supporting Male	6
Columbus	Best Cinematography Best First Feature Best First Screenplay	3
Crown Heights	Best Supporting Male	1
Dayveon	John Cassavetes Award Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award	2
The Departure	Best Documentary	1
The Disaster Artist	Best Male Lead	1
Distant Constellation	Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award	1
Donald Cried	Best First Screenplay	1
Faces Places	Best Documentary	1
A Fantastic Woman	Best International Film	1
The Florida Project	Best Director Best Feature	2
Get Out	Best Director Best Editing Best Feature Best Male Lead Best Screenplay	5
A Ghost Story	John Cassavetes Award	1
Good Time	Best Director Best Editing Best Male Lead Best Supporting Female Best Supporting Male	5
Gook	Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award	1
I Am Not a Witch	Best International Film	1
I, Tonya	Best Editing Best Female Lead Best Supporting Female	3
Ingrid Goes West	Best First Feature Best First Screenplay	2
The Killing of a Sacred Deer	Best Cinematography Best Supporting Male	2
Lady Bird	Best Feature Best Female Lead Best Screenplay Best Supporting Female	4
Lady Macbeth	Best International Film	1
Last Men in Aleppo	Best Documentary	1
Life and nothing more	Best Female Lead John Cassavetes Award	2
Loveless	Best International Film	1
The Lovers	Best Screenplay	1
Marjorie Prime	Best Supporting Female	1
Menashe	Best First Feature	1
Most Beautiful Island	John Cassavetes Award	1
Motherland	Best Documentary	1
Mudbound	Robert Altman Award	1
Oh Lucy!	Best Female Lead Best First Feature	2
Patti Cake$	Best First Feature	1
Quest	Best Documentary Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award	2
The Rider	Best Cinematography Best Director Best Editing Best Feature	4
Super Dark Times	Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award	1
The Transfiguration	John Cassavetes Award	1
Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri	Best Female Lead Best Screenplay Best Supporting Male	3
Women Who Kill	Best First Screenplay	1

About THE FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS
Now in its 33rd 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, AT&T, IFC and the Jeep brand, as well as Principal Sponsors Piaget and Visit Seattle. FIJI Water is the Official Water. WireImage is the Official Photographer.  

About FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is a nonprofit arts organization that champions independent visual storytelling and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent’s Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff and constituents is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a Member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional or a film lover.

In addition to producing the Spirit Awards, Film Independent produces the LA Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, a year-round, weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent’s Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year- round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent’s signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry.

For more information or to become a Member, visit filmindependent.org.

About IFC
IFC is the home of offbeat, unexpected comedies. Series Portlandia, Stan Against Evil, Baroness von Sketch Show, Documentary Now! and Brockmire 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.

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