Stars attend the IFC Party Celebrating The Spirit of Independent Film
Backstage at the 2008 Spirit Awards.
The red carpet is chalk full of stars (and sand) at the Indie Spirit Awards in Santa Monica.
Take a look inside and out of the 2008 Spirit Awards in Los Angeles.
Indie comedy/drama wins best feature, actress
Teen pregnancy dramedy "Juno" delivered three key wins at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards, including best picture.
Tatiana Siegel | 2/23/2008
Actor to serve as chair for awards
Past Spirit winner Javier Bardem will serve as honorary chair of Film Independent's 2008 Spirit Awards.
Derek Peters | 2/12/2008
Todd Haynes film nabs five nominations
“I’m Not There” squeaked ahead of the pack for this year’s Spirit Award kudos with four nominations and the inaugural Robert Altman award.
Click here for the full list of nominees.
Derek Peters | 11/27/2007
'I'm Not There' nabs five nominations
Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There" leads the field with four nominations and one honorary award at the 22nd annual Film Independent's Spirit Awards.
Variety Staff | 11/27/2007
Ceremony converts into eco-friendly event
Film Independent is cleaning up its act and converting the 2008 Spirit Awards into a zero-waste, eco-friendly event.
Libby McCarthy | 11/13/2007
Ceremony nabs customary slot before Oscars
Film Independent has set its Spirit Awards ceremonies for Feb. 23, in its customary slot of one day prior to the Academy Awards.
Dave McNary | 8/8/2007
Comedy wins feature, directing, first screenplay
"Little Miss Sunshine" turned on the heat Saturday at the Independent Spirit Awards, winning top feature, director for Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, first screenplay (Michael Arndt) and supporting actor (Alan Arkin).
| 2/24/2007
Show mixes high-profile independents with low B.O. pix
For years, the Spirit Awards have played Oscar's poor cousin. The kudos show is held in a tent and not a swanky purpose-built theater, the dress code is "anything goes," and it's a lunchtime affair. Thankfully, none of that has changed. Nor has the eclectic mix of nominees.
Sharon Swart | 2/22/2007
Director's longtime collaborator says she loves his bravery
"Very intimate" are not words one might think of to describe the big-tent hoedown known as the Spirit Awards. But Laura Dern can, because 21 years ago she was an 18-year-old nominee at its very first ceremony, when it was a lunch at a fusion restaurant on La Cienega.
Robert Abele | 2/22/2007
Show has Silverman, off-the-cuff speeches
As the beachside big-top extravaganza better known as the Spirit Awards enters its 22nd year, the event seems like a very far cry from its humble beginnings at a restaurant in WeHo. This year, 1,400 guests will congregate in the big white tent in Santa Monica for a two-hour show, televised live. There will even be bleachers set up to watch arrivals on the red carpet.
Sharon Swart | 2/22/2007
Spirit nominees took long way to bigscreen
Just because a film doesn't get acquired by a big distributor after its festival premiere doesn't mean it can't have a life.
While more than a half dozen of this year's Spirit Award nominees didn't get snapped up at fest, they're still making their way to theaters; they're just taking their time.
Anthony Kaufman | 2/22/2007
Grant nominees: Producer Awards
Candidates for the Producer's Award were selected from a group of emerging filmmakers who, "despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films." The kudo comes with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by Axium Intl.
Dave McNary | 2/22/2007
Grant nominees: Truer Than Fiction
The Independent Spirits' Truer Than Fiction Award, presented for the 11th time, goes to an "emerging director of nonfiction features who has not yet received significant attention." The winner will receive a $50,000 unrestricted grant, underwritten by payroll and accounting services firm Axium Intl. A look at the three nominees and their films.
Matthew Ross | 2/22/2007
Grant nominees: Someone to Watch
Now in its 13th year, the Someone to Watch Award honors "a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition."
Matthew Ross | 2/22/2007
Spirit Awards to honor ensemble pic
Film Independent has created the Robert Altman Award to honor one film's ensemble cast and director as chosen by the Spirit Awards nominating committee.
Dave McNary | 2/14/2007