The Independent Spirit Awards, originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards, and later as the Film Independent Spirit Awards, are awards presented annually in Santa Monica, California, to independent filmmakers.[2][3] Founded in 1984,[4][5] the event was renamed the Independent Spirit Awards in 1986. The ceremony is produced by Film Independent, a not-for-profit arts organization that used to produce the LA Film Festival. Film Independent members vote to determine the winners of the Spirit Awards.[6]
| Independent Spirit Awards | |
|---|---|
| Current: 40th Independent Spirit Awards | |
 | |
| Awarded for | Excellence in the independent film industry |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Film Independent[1] |
| First awarded | March 3, 1984; 40 years ago |
| Website | www |
The awards show is held in a tent on a beach in Santa Monica, California, historically on the Saturday before the Academy Awards.[7] In 2023, the ceremony was moved to the week before the Oscars, with the expectation that its winners could influence the final days of Oscar voting.[8] The show was previously broadcast live on the IFC network in the US until 2023, when it was moved to YouTube,[9] as well as Hollywood Suite in Canada and A&E Latin America.[10] Winners were previously presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the bare budgets of independent films.[11] Since 2006, winners receive a metal trophy depicting a bird with its wings spread sitting atop of a pole with the shoestrings from the previous design wrapped around the pole.[citation needed]
In 2020, new categories were announced for the 36th Independent Spirit Awards, which would honor the best in television productions and performances. These categories included Best New Scripted Series, Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series, Best Male Performance, Best Female Performance, and Best Ensemble Cast.[12] In 2022, it was announced that gender neutral acting categories would be implemented and that the previous gendered film categories — Male Lead, Female Lead, Male Supporting and Female Supporting — would be retired in favor of a Best Lead Performance and a Best Supporting Performance categories, which would feature 10 nominees each. Other new categories added included Best Breakthrough Performance and Best Lead and Supporting Performance in the TV section.[13]
As of 2024[update], films competing for Independent Spirit Awards must have budgets lower than $28 million, but no budget cap exists for television shows.[14]
Categories
editCurrent categories
- Best Feature Film
- Best Director
- Best First Feature
- Best Lead Performance
- Best Supporting Performance
- Best Breakthrough Performance
- Best Screenplay
- Best First Screenplay
- Best International Feature Film
- Best Documentary Feature Film
- Best Cinematography
- Best Editing
- Best New Scripted Series
- Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series
- Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series
- Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series
- Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
- John Cassavetes Award
- Piaget Producers Award
- Robert Altman Award
- Someone to Watch Award
- Truer than Fiction Award
Retired categories
History
editThe Independent Features Project/West was founded by Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas.[15][16]
In 1984 the FINDIE Awards (Friends of Independents) were conceived by Independent Features Project/West board member Jeanne Lucas[17] and Independent Features Project/West President Anne Kimmel[18] and director/writer Sam O'Brien was an event producer.[17] The awards are voted on by a nominating committee.
In 1985, Peter Coyote and Jamie Lee Curtis presented winners with a Plexiglas pyramid designed by Carol Bosselman, which contain a suspended shoestring, printed with sprocket holes, representing the shoestring budgets of independent films. The Reel Gold Award, also designed by Bosselman, was given to Steve Wachtel for allowing Independent Features Project/West continuing free use of his screening room. It was associated with Filmex.[5] In 1986, Bosselman designed and sculpted the Independent Spirit Award statue that is still given out today, using a lost wax bronze casting method.
Independent Features Project/West eventually became Film Independent.[19]
Dawn Hudson was director of Independent Features Project/West in 1995.[20]
Barbara Boyle was Independent Features Project/West president from 1994 to 1999.[21]
Ceremonies
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Film Independent". filmindependent.org. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ Picker, David V. (2004), "The Film Company as Financier-Distributor", in Jason E. Squire (ed.), The movie business book, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0-7432-1937-2, OCLC 53953524, retrieved September 29, 2011
- ^ English, James F. (2008), "The Age of Awards", The Economy of Prestige: Prizes, Awards, and the Circulation of Cultural Value, United States of America: Harvard University Press, p. 86, ISBN 978-0-674-03043-5, OCLC 221175319, retrieved September 29, 2011
provides alternative start date as 1986, not 1984 - ^ "History - Film Independent". Filmindependent.org. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
- ^ a b Collins, Keith (February 25, 2005). "Independence days". variety.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ Sickels, Robert (2009), "Coveted Awards", The Business of Entertainment: Movies, United States of America: Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 141, ISBN 978-0-275-99840-0, OCLC 644042790, retrieved September 28, 2011
- ^ Steele, Bruce C. (February 28, 2006), "It's Ang Lee vs. Gregg Araki!", The Advocate, Here Media, p. 49, retrieved September 28, 2011
- ^ Thompson, Anne (March 5, 2023). "How the Film Independent Spirit Awards Winners Could Impact Oscar Voting". IndieWire. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ Film Independent Spirit Awards, IFC, archived from the original on May 22, 2011, retrieved September 28, 2011. Citation supporting televised on IFC in 2011.
- ^ "A&E Latinoamérica". mx.canalaetv.com. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' lands 8 Independent Spirit Award nominations - Yahoo News
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 29, 2020). "Film Independent Spirit Awards Adds TV Categories For Upcoming 2021 Program". Deadline. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
- ^ Chapman, Wilson (August 23, 2022). "Spirit Awards to Implement Gender Neutral Acting Categories". Variety. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
- ^ Lang, Bret; Moreau, Jordan (December 4, 2024). "Spirit Awards 2025 Nominations: 'Anora' and 'I Saw the TV Glow' Lead Film Categories, 'Shogun' Rules TV". Variety. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ "Familiar names top Indie awards - Roger Ebert's Journal". Rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ Page, Anna Thomas Tribute (August 10, 2009). "A Tribute to Anna Thomas: Biography for Anna Thomas". annathomastribute.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ a b FOX, DAVID J. (March 27, 1992). "The Little Award Show That Could : Film: Since it started in the '80s, the Independent Spirit Awards, sort of an offbeat Oscar, has gained big-name supporters. Saturday's ceremony is sold out". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ FOX, DAVID J. (March 30, 1992). "'Rose' and 'Idaho' Get the Spirit : Movies: Each takes three trophies in the offbeat independent counterpoint to tonight's Academy Awards". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "The Oscars Upstaged (Almost)". The New York Times. March 19, 1995. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ "Producer Barbara Boyle to Head UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media". Businesswire.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ Lewis, Hilary (December 4, 2024). "Independent Spirit Awards: 'Anora,' 'I Saw the TV Glow' Top Nominations With Six Each". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 4, 2024.