The nominations for the 27th Film Independent's Spirit Awards were unveiled this morning by Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale. Films must be made for under $20 million and be by at least one American producer in order to qualify. Such stipulations explain why Tree of Life and We Need to Talk About Kevin were left off the list.
Oscar front-runner The Artist leads the way with five total nominations. The black and white send up to silent cinema picked up nominations in best feature, best director, best male lead, best cinematography and best screenplay.
Three other movies picked up four total nominations in various categories:
Take Shelter earned a best feature nod along with nominations for Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain and Jeff Nichols for best male lead, best supporting female and best director, respectively.
Drive also earned nominations in best feature, director (Nicholas Winding Refn), male lead (Ryan Gosling) and supporting male (Albert Brooks) categories.
Mike Mill's Beginners earned nominations for best feature, director, supporting male (Christopher Plummer) and screenplay.
The crackling stock market drama Margin Call will receive the Robert Altman Award, a special designation given to one film's director and its ensemble cast. The movie is also nominated in best first feature and first screenplay.
You can view the full list of nominees below. The winner will be announced the day before the Oscars on February 25.
Best Feature
50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter, The Artist, The Descendants
Best Director
Mike Mills, Beginners; Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive; Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter; Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist; Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Best First Feature
Another Earth, In the Family, Margin Call, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Natural Selection
Best Male Lead
Demian Bichir, A Better Life; Jean Dujardin, The Artist; Ryan Gosling, Drive; Woody Harrelson, Rampart; Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Best Female Lead
Lauren Ambrose, Think of Me; Rachel Harris, Natural Selection, Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene; Adepero Oduye, Pariah; Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
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 Supporting Female
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter; Angelica Huston, 50/50; Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs; Harmony Santana, Gun Hill Road; Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
John Cassavettes Award (Awarded to film budgeted at $500,000 or less)
Bellflower, Circumstance, Hello Lonesome, Pariah, The Dynamiter
Best Documentary
An African Election, Bill Cunningham in New York, The Interrupters, The Redemption of General Butt Naked, We Were Here
Best International Film
A Separation, Melancholia, Shame, The Kid With a Bike, Tyrannosaur
Best Cinematography
Joel Hodge, Bellflower; Benjamin Kasulke, The Off Hours; Darius Khondji, Midnight in Paris; Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist; Jeffrey Waldron, The Dynamiter
Best Screenplay
Joseph Cedar, Footnote; Michael Hazanivicius, The Artist; Tom McCarthy, Win Win; Mike Mills, Beginners; Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Descendants
Best First Screenplay
Mike Cahill and Brit Marling, Another Earth; J.C. Chandor, Margin Call; Patreck DeWitt, Terri; Phil Johnston, Cedar Rapids; Will Reiser, 50/50
Truer Than Fiction Award (Awarded to director of non-fiction feature film. Winning director receives an unrestricted grant.)
Heather Courtney, Danfung Dennis, Alma Har'El
Piaget Producers Award (Grant awarded to individual who demonstrates creativity, tenacity and vision to produce quality independent films)
Chad Burris, Sophia Lin, Josh Mond
Someone to Watch Award (Grant awarded to indie filmmakers to help them continue pursuing their craft)
Simon Arthur, Mark Jackson, Nicholas Ozeki
Robert Altman Award (Awarded to one film's director and its ensemble cast)
Margin Call
