30th Film independent Spirit Award Nominations Announced

The days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday proved bountiful for films including “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) “, “Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter”, “Dear White People”, “Nightcrawler” and “Whiplash” and many others when the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced Tuesday morning, November 25th at the W Hotel in Hollywood. Kicking off the award’s 30th anniversary year, Film Independent President Josh Welsh marveled at the exceptional independent work that continues to be recognized each year at the prestigious celebration that will resume at its Santa Monica beachside location February 21, 2015.

“The first Film Independent Spirit Awards were held at a restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard thirty years ago,” said Walsh. “Although we’ve continued to grow since those early days, our commitment to independent productions hasn’t changed. I’m very excited about the amazing list of feature films we are recognizing this year.”

Before welcoming this year’s nomination announcers, Diego Luna and Rosario Dawson, Walsh stated this year’s nominees will join an esteemed list of talent recognized in past Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremonies who have continued on to noteworthy film careers including Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, Todd Field, Lena Dunham and Charlie Kaufman.

“We’re excited to be recognizing the nominees that have been selected out of 340 films submitted for awards,” said Walsh. For the first time, a Film Independent Spirit Awards arrival show will be aired per the generous support of T-Mobile. The Film Independent Awards will be aired on IFC on Feb. 21th.

The full list of the 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards is presented below:

BEST FEATURE Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Boyhood Love is Strange Selma Whiplash

BEST DIRECTOR Damien Chazelle - Whiplash Ava DuVernay - Selma Alejandro G. Iñárritu - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Richard Linklater - Boyhood David Zellner - Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter

BEST SCREENPLAY Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski - Big Eyes J.C. Chandor - A Most Violent Year Dan Gilroy - Nightcrawler Jim Jarmusch - Only Lovers Left Alive Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias - Love is Strange

BEST FIRST FEATURE A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night Dear White People Nightcrawler Obvious Child She's Lost Control

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY Desiree Akhavan - Appropriate Behavior Sara Colangelo - Little Accidents Justin Lader - The One I Love Anja Marquardt - She's Lost Control Justin Simien - Dear White People

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD - Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Blue Ruin It Felt Like Love Land Ho! Man From Reno Test

BEST FEMALE LEAD Marion Cotillard - The Immigrant Rinko Kikuchi - Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter Julianne Moore - Still Alice Jenny Slate - Obvious Child Tilda Swinton - Only Lovers Left Alive

BEST MALE LEAD André Benjamin - Jimi: All Is By My Side Jake Gyllenhaal - Nightcrawler Michael Keaton - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) John Lithgow - Love is Strange David Oyelowo - Selma

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE Patricia Arquette - Boyhood Jessica Chastain - A Most Violent Year Carmen Ejogo - Selma Andrea Suarez Paz - Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Emma Stone - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST SUPPORTING MALE Riz Ahmed - Nightcrawler Ethan Hawke - Boyhood Alfred Molina - Love is Strange Edward Norton - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Darius Khondji - The Immigrant Emmanuel Lubezki - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Sean Porter - It Felt Like Love Lyle Vincent - A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night Bradford Young – Selma

BEST EDITING Sandra Adair - Boyhood Tom Cross - Whiplash John Gilroy - Nightcrawler Ron Patane - A Most Violent Year Adam Wingard - The Guest

BEST DOCUMENTARY 20,000 Days on Earth CitizenFour Stray Dog The Salt of the Earth Virunga

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM Force Majeure (Sweden) Ida (Poland) Leviathan (Russia) Mommy (Canada) Norte, the End of History (Philippines) Under the Skin (United Kingdom)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD - Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast Inherent Vice Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Casting Director: Cassandra Kulukundis Ensemble Cast: Josh Brolin, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio Del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Michael Kenneth Williams, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon

SPECIAL DISTINCTION AWARD Foxcatcher Director/Producer: Bennett Miller Producers: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik Writers: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman Actors: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum

18th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 18th annual Producers Award, sponsored 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. Chad Burris Elisabeth Holm Chris Ohlson

21st ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 21st annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored 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. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night Director: Ana Lily Amirpour H. Directors: Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia The Retrieval Director: Chris Eska

20th ANNUAL LENSCRAFTERS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 20th annual Truer Than Fiction Award, sponsored by LensCrafters 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 LensCrafters. Approaching the Elephant Director: Amanda Rose Wilder Evolution of a Criminal Director: Darius Clark Monroe The Kill Team Director: Dan Krauss The Last Season Director: Sara Dosa

To learn more about the Film Independent Spirit Awards, please visit: http://www.spiritawards.com/