2015 Film Independent’s Spirit Award Winners:
Best Feature – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Director – Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Male lead – Michael Keaton for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Female lead – Julianne Moore for Still Alice
Supporting Male – JK Simmons for Whiplash
Supporting Female – Patricia Arquette for Boyhood
Screenplay – Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler
Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Editing – Tom Cross for Whiplash
Best First Feature – Nightcrawler
First Screenplay – Justin Simien for Dear White People
John Cassavetes Award – Land Ho!
Documentary – CitizenFour
International Film – Ida
Robert Altman Award – Inherent Vice
Special Distinction Award to Foxcatcher
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The annual Independent Spirit Awards, which honor low budget film-making, take place in a giant tent on Santa Monica beach, one day prior to the Oscars ceremony.
Full list of winners:
Best Feature: 12 Years a Slave
Best Director: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Best Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
Best First Feature: Fruitvale Station
Best First Screenplay: Bob Nelson, Nebraska
The annual Independent Spirit Awards honor low budget film-making
John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): This is Martin Bonner
Best Supporting Female: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best Supporting Male: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Female Lead: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best Male Lead: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Altman Award: Mud
Best Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt, 12 Years a Slave
Best Editing: Nat Sanders, Short Term 1
Best International Film: Blue is the Warmest Color
Best Documentary: 20 Feet From Stardom
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Lupita Nyong’o won an Independent Spirit award on Saturday for her debut movie role in 12 Years a Slave.
The Kenyan actress told the audience: “Not a bad way to celebrate my birthday.”
Lupita Nyong’o turned 31 a day before the Oscars where she is a front runner for best supporting actress.
12 Years a Slave dominated the Independent Spirit Awards, where it took five prizes.
They included best feature and best director for Steve McQueen.
Lupita Nyong’o won an Independent Spirit award on Saturday for her debut movie role in 12 Years a Slave
Other acting trophies went to Cate Blanchett, for her role in Blue Jasmine, and to Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto, for their roles as AIDS patients in Dallas Buyers Club.
All three are favorites to win at the Oscars on Sunday night.
The annual Independent Spirit Awards, which honor low budget film-making, take place in a giant tent on Santa Monica beach.
This year the ceremony was accompanied by strong winds and bursts of heavy rain beating down on the tent.
12 Years a Slave also won awards for screenplay and cinematography.
Fruitvale Station was named best first feature while Nebraska won a best first screenplay award.
The documentary prize went to 20 Feet From Stardom, which shines a spotlight on the world of the backing singers.
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Oscar-nominated film Silver Linings Playbook took four awards at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Saturday.
Silver Linings Playbook – up for eight Oscars on Sunday – won best film, best screenplay, best director for David O. Russell and best actress for Jennifer Lawrence at the indy film awards.
John Hawkes took best actor for the part of the late disabled journalist and poet Mark O’Brien in The Sessions.
John Hawkes said he hoped the film would help change perceptions of disability.
“Mark O’Brien said as a disabled man he felt invisible to people. I hope this film can change that a little bit and we all see each other a little more,” he told the audience in his acceptance speech.
His co-star Helen Hunt – who plays a sex therapist in the film based on an article written by Mark O’Brien in 1990 – won best supporting actress.
Up for the same award at the Oscars, Helen Hunt said backstage: “I’m proud of the movie, I can’t believe we got it made.”
Matthew McConaughey, who was also nominated for best actor for Killer Joe, picked up the best supporting actor prize for Magic Mike, which he stars in alongside his mother.
He praised the process of making indy films: “The vitality you get from not having enough money and not having enough time… that’s what I love about independent films.”
Silver Linings Playbook won best film, best screenplay, best director for David O. Russell and best actress for Jennifer Lawrence at the indy film awards
Best foreign film went to Oscar favorite Amour, directed by Michael Haneke.
“I feel wonderful, it comes as a complete surprise,” he said, after collecting his award.
“No-one would think a film dealing with ageing and death (would do so well).”
Best documentary went to The Invisible War, which addresses rape and sexual abuse in the US military.
Producer Amy Ziering made an emotional speech: “This award says to our service members – you are heard, you are not alone and you are no longer invisible.”
Like Silver Linings Playbook, Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom was up for five awards but went away empty-handed.
Accepting the best screenplay award for Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell said: “The last time I held one of these was 19 years ago for best screenplay and best first feature and my son was one year’s old – Matthew’s here today and he gave me this movie.”
David O. Russell’s son has bipolar disorder and was the inspiration for the film, which features Bradley Cooper’s character dealing with the same illness.
Speaking backstage of his Oscar chances, David O. Russell said: “I’m very superstitious so I’m just very happy to be there.”
Beasts of the Southern Wild picked up one award out of a possible four for British cinematographer Ben Richardson.
He said nine-year-old Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis was the reason he took on the job.
“It was incredibly eye-opening, I could just see what she was going to do. Her performance is just incredible,” he said.
The best first feature prize went to Perks of Being a Wallflower, starring Emma Watson.
Presenters included Daniel Radcliffe, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Renner.
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