By Myrna Tobisoo, February 27, 2007
The hit independent film Little Miss Sunshine won the top prize for Best Feature at the 2007 Film Independent's Spirit Awards. The winner for Best First Feature went to Sweet Land, which marks the first time in the history of the Spirit Awards that a film without a distributor has won this prize.
The 2007 Film Independent's Spirit Awards were held Saturday, February 24, in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. The Spirit Awards is a celebration honoring films made by filmmakers who embody independence and who dare to challenge the status quo. This annual event, which began as a small grassroots program, has grown into one of the most anticipated events of the film year.
This year's major category winners were Fox Searchlight Pictures' Little Miss Sunshine, which won Best Feature, Best Directors (Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris), Best Supporting Male (Alan Arkin), and Best First Screenplay (Michael Arndt), and Thank You For Smoking for Best Screenplay (Jason Reitman); ThinkFilm's Half Nelson, which won Best Male Lead (Ryan Gosling), and Best Female Lead (Shareeka Epps); Sony Pictures Classics' Quinceañera which won the John Cassavetes Award, and Friends With Money which won Best Supporting Female (Frances McDormand).
Howard Gertler and Tim Perell, producers of Shortbus and Pizza, received the tenth annual Axium Producers Award, which honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The winner of the Producers Award receives an unrestricted grant of $50,000 funded by Axium International.
Julia Loktev, director of Day Night Day Night, won the 13th annual IFC/Acura Someone To Watch Award, a $50,000 unrestricted grant created to honor a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award is funded by IFC and Acura.
Adele Horne, director of The Tailenders, won the 11th annual Axium Truer Than Fiction Award, presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant attention
. The award is accompanied by a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by Axium International.
David Lynch and Laura Dern received a Special Distinction Award for their collaborative work. The late director Robert Altman received an Honorary Spirit Award for his lifelong commitment to independent filmmaking.
As previously announced, a new Spirit Award - The Robert Altman Award - was created in the director's name, to be given out for the first time at the 2008 Spirit Awards to one film's director and ensemble cast.
Actor/Comedian Sarah Silverman served as Master of Ceremonies. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Terrence Howard served as Honorary Co-Chairs.
Complete list of the winners
Best Feature
Little Miss Sunshine
Producers: Marc Turtletaub,
David T. Friendly, Peter Saraf, Albert Berger & Ron Yerxa
Best Director
Jonathon Dayton & Valerie Faris
Little Miss Sunshine
Best Screenplay
Jason Reitman
Thank You For Smoking
Best First Feature
Sweet Land
Director: Ali Selim
Producers: Alan Cumming, James Bigham, Ali Selim
Best First Screenplay
Michael Arndt
Little Miss Sunshine
John Cassavetes Award
(For the Best Feature made for under $500,000)
Writer/Directors: Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland
Quinceañera
Producer: Anne Clements
Best Supporting Female
Frances McDormand
Friends with Money
Best Supporting Male
Alan Arkin
Little Miss Sunshine
Best Female Lead
Shareeka Epps
Half Nelson
Best Male Lead
Ryan Gosling
Half Nelson
Best Cinematography
Guillermo Navarro
Pan's Labyrinth
Best Foreign Film
The Lives of Others
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Best Documentary
Roadside Attractions
The Road to Guantanamo
Directors: Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross
2007 FILM INDEPENDENT'S SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS BY DISTRIBUTOR
Fox Searchlight Pictures - 5
Sony Pictures Classics - 3
Thinkfilm - 2
Picturehouse - 1
Roadside Attractions - 1
no distributor -1
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