34th Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations announced

If Beale Street Could Talk

On Friday, Film Independent announced the nominations for the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards. 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.

At a press conference held at the W Hotel in Hollywood, Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the announcement with actors Gemma Chan and Molly Shannon presenting the nominations. Nominees for Best Feature included Eighth Grade, First Reformed, If Beale Street Could Talk, Leave No Trace and You Were Never Really Here.

Suspiria 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.

Film Independent is proud to announce the return of our collaboration with AT&T, who joins once again as Premier Sponsor and Official Wireless & Video Services Partner. American Airlines joins for the fifth year and returns to fund the Bonnie Award, recognizing a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant. And we welcome this year’s Official Automotive Partner, Subaru of America.

Winners, who are selected by Film Independent Members, will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 23, 2019. The awards ceremony 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 PT5:00 pm ET.

2019 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

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

Eighth Grade 
Producers: Eli BushScott RudinChristopher StorerLila Yacoub

First Reformed          
Producers: Jack BinderGreg ClarkGary HamiltonVictoria HillDavid HinojosaFrank MurrayDeepak SikkaChristine Vachon

If Beale Street Could Talk    
Producers: Dede GardnerBarry JenkinsJeremy KleinerSara MurphyAdele Romanski

Leave No Trace         
Producers: Anne HarrisonLinda ReismanAnne Rosellini

You Were Never Really Here           
Producers: Rosa Attab, Pascal Caucheteux, Rebecca O’BrienLynne RamsayJames Wilson

BEST FIRST FEATURE
(Award given to the director and producer)

Hereditary
Director: Ari Aster
Producers: Kevin FrakesLars KnudsenBuddy Patrick

Sorry to Bother You
Director: Boots Riley
Producers: Nina Yang BongioviJonathan DuffyCharles D. KingGeorge RushForest WhitakerKelly Williams

The Tale
Director/Producer: Jennifer Fox
Producers: Sol BondyLawrence IngleeMynette LouieOren MovermanSimone PeroReka PostaLaura RisterRegina K. ScullyLynda Weinman

We the Animals         
Director: Jeremiah Zagar
Producers: Andrew GoldmanChristina D. KingPaul MezeyJeremy Yaches

Wildlife
Director/Producer: Paul Dano
Producers: Andrew DuncanJake GyllenhaalRiva MarkerOren MovermanAnn RuarkAlex Saks

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.)

A Bread Factory      
Writer/Director/Producer: Patrick Wang
Producers: Daryl FreimarkMatt Miller

En el Séptimo Día 
Writer/Director/Producer: Jim McKay
Producers: Alex BachLindsey CorderoCaroline KaplanMichael Stipe

Never Goin’ Back 
Writer/Director: Augustine Frizzell
Producers: Liz CardenasToby HalbrooksJames M. Johnston

Sócrates       
Writer/Director/Producer: Alex Moratto
Writer: Thayná Mantesso
Producers: Ramin BahraniJefferson PaulinoTammy Weiss

Thunder Road 
Writer/Director: Jim Cummings 
Producers: Natalie MetzgerZack ParkerBenjamin Weissner

BEST DIRECTOR

Debra Granik
Leave No Trace

Barry Jenkins 
If Beale Street Could Talk

Tamara Jenkins 
Private Life

Lynne Ramsay 
You Were Never Really Here

Paul Schrader
First Reformed

BEST SCREENPLAY

Richard Glatzer (Writer/Story By), Rebecca Lenkiewicz & Wash Westmoreland
Colette

Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Tamara Jenkins 
Private Life

Boots Riley
Sorry to Bother You

Paul Schrader
First Reformed

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Bo Burnham 
Eighth Grade

Christina Choe 
Nancy

Cory Finley
Thoroughbreds

Jennifer Fox
The Tale

Quinn Shephard (Writer/Story By), Laurie Shephard (Story By)
Blame

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Ashley Connor
Madeline’s Madeline

Diego Garcia
Wildlife

Benjamin Loeb
Mandy

Sayombhu Mukdeeprom
Suspiria

Zak Mulligan
We the Animals

BEST EDITING        

Joe Bini 
You Were Never Really Here

Keiko DeguchiBrian A. Kates, Jeremiah Zagar
We the Animals

Luke Dunkley, Nick FentonChris GillJulian Hart
American Animals

Anne FabiniAlex HallGary Levy 
The Tale

Nick Houy 
Mid90s

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Glenn Close 
The Wife

Toni Collette 
Hereditary

Elsie Fisher
Eighth Grade

Regina Hall
Support the Girls

Helena Howard
Madeline’s Madeline

Carey Mulligan
Wildlife

BEST MALE LEAD

John Cho 
Searching

Daveed Diggs
Blindspotting

Ethan Hawke
First Reformed

Christian Malheiros
Sócrates

Joaquin Phoenix
You Were Never Really Here

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Kayli Carter
Private Life

Tyne Daly
A Bread Factory

Regina King
If Beale Street Could Talk

Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie
Leave No Trace

J. Smith-Cameron
Nancy

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Raúl Castillo
We the Animals

Adam Driver
BLACKkKLANSMAN

Richard E. Grant
Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Josh Hamilton
Eighth Grade

John David Washington
Monsters and Men

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

Suspiria                                              
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Casting Directors: Avy KaufmanStella Savino
Ensemble Cast: Malgosia BelaIngrid Caven, Lutz Ebersdorf, Elena FokinaMia GothJessica HarperDakota JohnsonGala Moody, Chloë Grace Moretz, Renée Soutendijk, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

Hale County This Morning, This Evening  
Director/Producer: RaMell Ross
Producers: Joslyn BarnesSu Kim

Minding the Gap 
Director/Producer: Bing Liu 
Producer: Diane Quon

Of Fathers and Sons
Director: Talal Derki
Producers: Hans Robert EisenhauerAnsgar FrerichEva Kemme
Tobias N. Siebert

On Her Shoulders
Director: Alexandria Bombach
Producers: Hayley PappasBrock Williams

Shirkers
Director/Producer: Sandi Tan
Producers: Jessica LevinMaya Rudolph

Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Director/Producer: Morgan Neville
Producers: Caryn CapotostoNicholas Ma

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

Burning
South Korea
Director: Lee Chang-Dong

The Favourite
United Kingdom
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Happy as Lazzaro
Italy
Director: Alice Rohrwacher

Roma
Mexico
Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Shoplifters
Japan
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu

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

Debra Granik
Tamara Jenkins
Karyn Kusama

PRODUCERS AWARD – The 22nd annual Producers Award 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.

Jonathan Duffy and Kelly Williams
Gabrielle Nadig
Shrihari Sathe

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 25th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Alex Moratto
Director of Sócrates

Ioana Uricaru
Director of Lemonade

Jeremiah Zagar
Director of We the Animals

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 24th annual Truer Than Fiction Award 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.

Alexandria Bombach
Director of On Her Shoulders

Bing Liu
Director of Minding the Gap

RaMell Ross
Director of Hale County This Morning, This Evening

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