I came across Mamitas (Producer Rep: Traction Media) as a short film version back in '07 and was struck by its charm. At the time there were few and far between coming-of-age stories set in L.A. about a budding romance in teenagers that didn't involve pregnancies or gang culture, yet Mamitas rang true in every sense. So, when Nick told me he was making the feature length version, I was anxious to read it, to see what journey he would take these two characters, Jordin and Felipa, on. I was pleasantly surprised by the elements he added to surround the core love story. These were teens with real life teen problems. Nick, clearly respected and cared for these characters. I was even more stoked to come home to a DVD copy of the completed film a year later. It was everything it was supposed to be. Jordin and Felipa, this time brought to life by Ej Bonilla and Veronica Diaz, were fully realized. Bonilla and Diaz were the perfect beat for the heart of this film. They each brought a radiant honesty and shone in their roles. I wasn't surprised this film and Veronica have recieved awards on its way to a theatrical release by Screen Media Films in Los Angeles, opening on Friday, April 27th.
LatinoBuzz:The film that made you say, "This is what I want to do"?
Nicholas Ozeki: This is a simple but tough question because I had so many films that inspired me throughout my youth. I would have to say the first film that really knocked me out was Alien by Ridley Scott. I think what really did it for me was his attention to detail. This firstly manifests itself through the immaculate production design of the spaceship Nostromo. I loved the weathered and dilapidated nature of the ships working areas contrast with the brightly lit and washed out living spaces of the crew. What really speaks to me though is Ridley Scott’s control of our emotions through out the movie. He builds the tension so gradually and precisely that by the time we are in the heart of the second act he has gotten the audience so scared that we are all on the edge of our seats. This is a great film because no matter how many times I watch it, I still find myself fully invested in the characters despite the fact I know what is coming. I think it was this type of mastery of storytelling and the ability of bringing the audience so completely into another world that made me want to become a director.
LatinoBuzz: Spike Lee's and Martin Scorcese's New York is rapidly disappearing/disappeared to gentrification were recapturing a time in New York is becoming increasingly difficult. Is that the case with La for you?
Nicholas Ozeki: I didn’t grow up in L.A. so I can’t really speak of this city as my own, but even living here for the better part of a decade I can see the changes spreading through the eastern part of the city. What I have noticed is that Eastern Los Angeles is similar to New York in that it is the oldest part of the city. It has some of the best architecture, oldest neighborhoods, and most importantly the oldest generations of true Angelinos, dating back to the early 1930s. I was surprised to learn that the silent era of the film industry started in the Los Feliz, Echo Park area where many of these movies were shot. That being said, I think Hollywood is more of a state of mind then a place. There are certainly iconic locations in L.A. but as far as the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood and the studio system, that’s all but faded away.
LatinoBuzz: Some have said the first feature you make is the story you've waiting to tell your whole life. Why did this story stay with you from a short film to a feature?
Nicholas Ozeki:I think the first feature of any director is going to hold a special place in their heart. It's kind of like a first kiss in that its highly anticipated and will be forever ingrained in your memory, but at the end of the day you’re just trying not to slobber all over the other person. For me this film was a wonderful experience but I would not say that it is my ultimate opus as a director. For some, they are lucky enough to be able to tell the story they have always wanted to tell as their first feature. However, I definitely felt extremely passionate about making Mamitas after I had completed the short film version in Graduate school because it was a story that really touched the audience. The film is not based directly from my life but I certainly tried to impart what limited wisdom I have gained in my 31 years into the characters of the film. I hope the audience finds truthfulness in the performances of the actors.
LatinoBuzz:So, what is the power of the short film in 2012?
Nicholas Ozeki: I think the power of the short film is incredibly underrated. I can tell you it is way easier to get someone to watch a 15-minute film then a full-length feature. In those 15 minutes you have the opportunity to express your voice as an artist and hopefully connect with your audience. If you are trying to be a first time feature director then a short film that demonstrates you have a grasp on the themes and concepts of the movie you want to direct is a no-brainer. Whether they are collaborators or potential investors, filmmaking is a visual art form so you obviously need visuals to show them!
LatinoBuzz:What's the dream?
Nicholas Ozeki:For me the dream is the freedom to make all the crazy ideas I have in my head into movies. I truly love directing and I think it is a privilege to have this as an occupation. Filmmaking is like playing in your imagination and getting paid to do it. How cool is that?! I guess I’ll ride this horse until it bucks me.
LatinoBuzz:You cast Mexican legend Pedro Armendariz Jr. who, God bless him, passed away this past December but had such an illustrious career in film including making appearances in personal faves of mine; Airwolf and The Love Boat. Tell us a story about him.
Nicholas Ozeki:Here is a great story of how beloved Pedro is. We were behind schedule one of the days of our shoot. It was a night scene and we were shooting in the backyard of a house. The biggest issue was that there was a huge party next door to us with a live metal band blasting music. Of course, this was creating havoc with our sound department. Then two local cops show up asking if we had permits to put lights out on the street. Of course, we didn’t so they were preparing to shut us down. Then one of the cops noticed Mr. Armendariz sitting patiently on the set. “Pedro!” He exclaimed. Luckily both cops were Mexican American and they instantly recognized one of Mexico’s most celebrated actors. Pedro very graciously went up to the cops and spoke with them for a few minutes. The next thing we new the officers were smiling and told us not to worry about the permit and then they went over to the house next door and shut the party down for us. I think that was the first time I saw how beloved Pedro was to the Hispanic community. He will be deeply missed. R.I.P.
LatinoBuzz:What traits should envelope the heart of a filmmaker as an artist?
Nicholas Ozeki: Vision –A filmmaker has to have great vision in order to tell a compelling story that is both distinctive and stylistic. I remember playing the movie in my head hundreds of times before it was ever made. You have to see it in your imagination. It has to be real to you.
Commitment –Making a film is like raising a child. You have to be there every step of the way, guide it, provide for it, and finally let it go into the real world and hope you have done a good job. If you don’t absolutely love your film then you will loss interest in it and the movie will suffer. At the end of the day, filmmaking is a sheer act of creative will. You have to be prepared to stick with your art no matter what comes your way.
The Eye of the Tiger –You have to believe in yourself and always strive for the best. Whether that is getting the best actor, the most talented cinematographer, or the best location for your story, you have to have the hunger to want it and be willing to do what it takes to get it. A filmmaker should never be satisfied with their work. There should always be something that they want to improve on.
LatinoBuzz:If you could pluck a character from any book and write a film around them, who is the character and where would you take them?
Nicholas Ozeki: One of my favorite books is The Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz), so I would have to take the main character Oscar De Leon and make a film that deals with his early adolescence. My only fear is living up to Junot Diaz’s incendiary prose. He is really such a brilliant an entertaining author.
LatinoBuzz: You were nominated for an Independent Spirit Awards ‘Someone To Watch Award’. Any pressure to exceed expectations and not become the next Michael Cimino (The Deer Hunter) and fade to black. 'The End'.
Nicholas Ozeki: It’s interesting because I think awards and accolades are wonderful and validating but really my concentration has been on how the film will be received by the general public. I think this will be the biggest catalyst of expectations. I’m sure that if the film does well I will feel pressure to succeed and improve upon my work. But these are good problems to have.
LatinoBuzz:Mamitas touches on the topic of fatherhood - how has your upbringing affected your choices to pursue film?
Nicholas Ozeki:I came from a strong middle class home and I have parents that have always supported me finding a profession that I love. I can say that their insistence on a good education is what made me the person I am today. That is why I focus a lot on the theme of education in Mamitas. As for the theme of fatherhood, it is certainly not a personal story but I do think it is something that everyone can sympathize and relate with.
LatinoBuzz:Mamitas is a coming of age romance story with a sweetness to it. Do you have an onscreen romance that you are fond of and tell me about your charming actors, Ej Bonilla and Veronica Diaz. They had amazing chemistry.
Nicholas Ozeki:I have to say one of the sweetest onscreen couples is Audrey Heburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. It also happens to be my favorite romantic comedy. Ej Bonillia and Veronica Diaz were wonderful together on screen. I think it was out of a mutual respect for one another’s talent as well as a trust that they formed together very quickly. I also think they really got their characters and did the work they needed to in order to nail their scenes. Both amazing actors with bright futures ahead of them.
For more on Mamitas & screening times, dig Mamitasthemovie.com...
LatinoBuzz:The film that made you say, "This is what I want to do"?
Nicholas Ozeki: This is a simple but tough question because I had so many films that inspired me throughout my youth. I would have to say the first film that really knocked me out was Alien by Ridley Scott. I think what really did it for me was his attention to detail. This firstly manifests itself through the immaculate production design of the spaceship Nostromo. I loved the weathered and dilapidated nature of the ships working areas contrast with the brightly lit and washed out living spaces of the crew. What really speaks to me though is Ridley Scott’s control of our emotions through out the movie. He builds the tension so gradually and precisely that by the time we are in the heart of the second act he has gotten the audience so scared that we are all on the edge of our seats. This is a great film because no matter how many times I watch it, I still find myself fully invested in the characters despite the fact I know what is coming. I think it was this type of mastery of storytelling and the ability of bringing the audience so completely into another world that made me want to become a director.
LatinoBuzz: Spike Lee's and Martin Scorcese's New York is rapidly disappearing/disappeared to gentrification were recapturing a time in New York is becoming increasingly difficult. Is that the case with La for you?
Nicholas Ozeki: I didn’t grow up in L.A. so I can’t really speak of this city as my own, but even living here for the better part of a decade I can see the changes spreading through the eastern part of the city. What I have noticed is that Eastern Los Angeles is similar to New York in that it is the oldest part of the city. It has some of the best architecture, oldest neighborhoods, and most importantly the oldest generations of true Angelinos, dating back to the early 1930s. I was surprised to learn that the silent era of the film industry started in the Los Feliz, Echo Park area where many of these movies were shot. That being said, I think Hollywood is more of a state of mind then a place. There are certainly iconic locations in L.A. but as far as the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood and the studio system, that’s all but faded away.
LatinoBuzz: Some have said the first feature you make is the story you've waiting to tell your whole life. Why did this story stay with you from a short film to a feature?
Nicholas Ozeki:I think the first feature of any director is going to hold a special place in their heart. It's kind of like a first kiss in that its highly anticipated and will be forever ingrained in your memory, but at the end of the day you’re just trying not to slobber all over the other person. For me this film was a wonderful experience but I would not say that it is my ultimate opus as a director. For some, they are lucky enough to be able to tell the story they have always wanted to tell as their first feature. However, I definitely felt extremely passionate about making Mamitas after I had completed the short film version in Graduate school because it was a story that really touched the audience. The film is not based directly from my life but I certainly tried to impart what limited wisdom I have gained in my 31 years into the characters of the film. I hope the audience finds truthfulness in the performances of the actors.
LatinoBuzz:So, what is the power of the short film in 2012?
Nicholas Ozeki: I think the power of the short film is incredibly underrated. I can tell you it is way easier to get someone to watch a 15-minute film then a full-length feature. In those 15 minutes you have the opportunity to express your voice as an artist and hopefully connect with your audience. If you are trying to be a first time feature director then a short film that demonstrates you have a grasp on the themes and concepts of the movie you want to direct is a no-brainer. Whether they are collaborators or potential investors, filmmaking is a visual art form so you obviously need visuals to show them!
LatinoBuzz:What's the dream?
Nicholas Ozeki:For me the dream is the freedom to make all the crazy ideas I have in my head into movies. I truly love directing and I think it is a privilege to have this as an occupation. Filmmaking is like playing in your imagination and getting paid to do it. How cool is that?! I guess I’ll ride this horse until it bucks me.
LatinoBuzz:You cast Mexican legend Pedro Armendariz Jr. who, God bless him, passed away this past December but had such an illustrious career in film including making appearances in personal faves of mine; Airwolf and The Love Boat. Tell us a story about him.
Nicholas Ozeki:Here is a great story of how beloved Pedro is. We were behind schedule one of the days of our shoot. It was a night scene and we were shooting in the backyard of a house. The biggest issue was that there was a huge party next door to us with a live metal band blasting music. Of course, this was creating havoc with our sound department. Then two local cops show up asking if we had permits to put lights out on the street. Of course, we didn’t so they were preparing to shut us down. Then one of the cops noticed Mr. Armendariz sitting patiently on the set. “Pedro!” He exclaimed. Luckily both cops were Mexican American and they instantly recognized one of Mexico’s most celebrated actors. Pedro very graciously went up to the cops and spoke with them for a few minutes. The next thing we new the officers were smiling and told us not to worry about the permit and then they went over to the house next door and shut the party down for us. I think that was the first time I saw how beloved Pedro was to the Hispanic community. He will be deeply missed. R.I.P.
LatinoBuzz:What traits should envelope the heart of a filmmaker as an artist?
Nicholas Ozeki: Vision –A filmmaker has to have great vision in order to tell a compelling story that is both distinctive and stylistic. I remember playing the movie in my head hundreds of times before it was ever made. You have to see it in your imagination. It has to be real to you.
Commitment –Making a film is like raising a child. You have to be there every step of the way, guide it, provide for it, and finally let it go into the real world and hope you have done a good job. If you don’t absolutely love your film then you will loss interest in it and the movie will suffer. At the end of the day, filmmaking is a sheer act of creative will. You have to be prepared to stick with your art no matter what comes your way.
The Eye of the Tiger –You have to believe in yourself and always strive for the best. Whether that is getting the best actor, the most talented cinematographer, or the best location for your story, you have to have the hunger to want it and be willing to do what it takes to get it. A filmmaker should never be satisfied with their work. There should always be something that they want to improve on.
LatinoBuzz:If you could pluck a character from any book and write a film around them, who is the character and where would you take them?
Nicholas Ozeki: One of my favorite books is The Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao (Junot Diaz), so I would have to take the main character Oscar De Leon and make a film that deals with his early adolescence. My only fear is living up to Junot Diaz’s incendiary prose. He is really such a brilliant an entertaining author.
LatinoBuzz: You were nominated for an Independent Spirit Awards ‘Someone To Watch Award’. Any pressure to exceed expectations and not become the next Michael Cimino (The Deer Hunter) and fade to black. 'The End'.
Nicholas Ozeki: It’s interesting because I think awards and accolades are wonderful and validating but really my concentration has been on how the film will be received by the general public. I think this will be the biggest catalyst of expectations. I’m sure that if the film does well I will feel pressure to succeed and improve upon my work. But these are good problems to have.
LatinoBuzz:Mamitas touches on the topic of fatherhood - how has your upbringing affected your choices to pursue film?
Nicholas Ozeki:I came from a strong middle class home and I have parents that have always supported me finding a profession that I love. I can say that their insistence on a good education is what made me the person I am today. That is why I focus a lot on the theme of education in Mamitas. As for the theme of fatherhood, it is certainly not a personal story but I do think it is something that everyone can sympathize and relate with.
LatinoBuzz:Mamitas is a coming of age romance story with a sweetness to it. Do you have an onscreen romance that you are fond of and tell me about your charming actors, Ej Bonilla and Veronica Diaz. They had amazing chemistry.
Nicholas Ozeki:I have to say one of the sweetest onscreen couples is Audrey Heburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. It also happens to be my favorite romantic comedy. Ej Bonillia and Veronica Diaz were wonderful together on screen. I think it was out of a mutual respect for one another’s talent as well as a trust that they formed together very quickly. I also think they really got their characters and did the work they needed to in order to nail their scenes. Both amazing actors with bright futures ahead of them.
For more on Mamitas & screening times, dig Mamitasthemovie.com...
- 4/27/2012
- by Juan Caceres
- Sydney's Buzz
USC Student Nicholas Ozeki not only landed actress Jennifer Esposito and the late Pedro Armendáriz Jr. for his student film, but now he's seeing his thesis film Mamitas get a theatrical release in Los Angeles. Mamitas has garnered dozens of awards at film festivals and is now headed to distribution in movie theaters on April 27. Take a look at the movie trailer.
First-time filmmaker Nicholas Ozeki tells the story of Jordin, a cocky but charming Latino firebrand; at home he is a doting grandson who can’t seem to please his perpetually cranky father. On the day he’s suspended for insulting a teacher, Jordin meets Felipa, a bookish, no-nonsense New York girl who sees past the swaggering facade. The two immediately embark on an unlikely friendship that inspires Jordin to find out who
Read more...
First-time filmmaker Nicholas Ozeki tells the story of Jordin, a cocky but charming Latino firebrand; at home he is a doting grandson who can’t seem to please his perpetually cranky father. On the day he’s suspended for insulting a teacher, Jordin meets Felipa, a bookish, no-nonsense New York girl who sees past the swaggering facade. The two immediately embark on an unlikely friendship that inspires Jordin to find out who
Read more...
- 4/20/2012
- CineMovie
The 2012 Ashland Independent Film Festival has announced the winners of its Juried and Audience competitions. In the Audience competitions winners included: Rory Kennedy's "Ethel" took Best Documentary; Jonathan Lisecki's "Gayby" for Best Feature; Leslie Iwerks' "Pipe Dreams" for Best Documentary Short Film; and Drew Christie's "Song of the Spindle" took home the prize for Best Narrative Short Film. In the Juried competition winners were: Musa Syeed's "Valley of the Saints" took Best Narrative Feature; Turner Ross and Bill Ross won Best Feature Length Documentary for "Tchoupitoulas"; Best Cinematography went to Nicholas Ozeki's "Mamitas"; "Gayby" won again for Best Acting Ensemble; Kangmin Kim's "38-39° C" won Best Animated Short; Best Short Doc. went to Sam Green's "The Universal Language"; and Levi Abrino's "Little Horses"...
- 4/19/2012
- by Aaron Bogert
- Indiewire
Seth Rogen hosted the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday evening and the winners are:
Best Feature: The Artist. Also nominated: 50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter and The Descendants.
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist). Nominated: Mike Mills (Beginners), Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter), and Alexander Payne (The Descendants).
Best First Feature: Margin Call. Nominated: Another Earth, In The Family, , Martha Marcy May Marlene and Natural Selection.
Best Male Lead Performance: Jean Dujardin (The Artist). Nominated: Demián Bichir (A Better Life), , Ryan Gosling (Drive), Woody Harrelson (Rampart) and Michael Shannon (Take Shelter).
Best Female Lead Performance: Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn). Nominated: Lauren Ambrose (Think of Me), Rachel Harris (Natural Selection), Adepero Oduye (Pariah) and Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene).
Best Supporting Male Performance: Christopher Plummer (Beginners). Nominated: Albert Brooks (Drive), John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene), John C Reilly (Cedar Rapids) and Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris...
Best Feature: The Artist. Also nominated: 50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter and The Descendants.
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist). Nominated: Mike Mills (Beginners), Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter), and Alexander Payne (The Descendants).
Best First Feature: Margin Call. Nominated: Another Earth, In The Family, , Martha Marcy May Marlene and Natural Selection.
Best Male Lead Performance: Jean Dujardin (The Artist). Nominated: Demián Bichir (A Better Life), , Ryan Gosling (Drive), Woody Harrelson (Rampart) and Michael Shannon (Take Shelter).
Best Female Lead Performance: Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn). Nominated: Lauren Ambrose (Think of Me), Rachel Harris (Natural Selection), Adepero Oduye (Pariah) and Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene).
Best Supporting Male Performance: Christopher Plummer (Beginners). Nominated: Albert Brooks (Drive), John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene), John C Reilly (Cedar Rapids) and Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris...
- 2/27/2012
- MUBI
For the past twelve years, the Independent Spirit Awards have been held the night before the Oscars, and although the two sets of nominees sometimes overlap, traditionally the Spirit Awards end up honouring most of the films that the Academy ignores. This year things might be a little bit different, however, as Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist ended up taking home a handful of the major Spirit Awards including Best Feature, Best Director and Best Male Lead. As far as I know, the Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards have only picked the same Best Picture once before: Oliver Stone's Platoon in 1986. Christopher Plummer also won for Best Supporting Male, while Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn) won for Best Female Lead. Is this all a sign of what's to come tomorrow night? There are at least a few Spirit Award winners who won't be repeating at the Academy...
- 2/26/2012
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist" was the big winner at the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The black-and-white silent film took home Best Feature, Director for Hazanavicius, Best Male Lead for Jean Dujardin, and Best Cinematography for Guillaume Schiffman.
In the performance categories, Michelle Williams took home the Best Female Lead award for her Marilyn Monroe portrayal in "My Week with Marilyn." Shailene Woodley, snubbed by the Academy for her memorable performance as George Clooney's daughter in "The Descendants," won Best Supporting Actress while Oscar frontrunner, Christopher Plummer, received the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in "Beginners."
Held on Santa Monica Beach and hosted by Seth Rogen, the 27th Film Independent Spirit Awards will be broadcast by IFC at 10 p.m. Pst/Est.
Here's the complete list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the Independent Spirit Awards:
Best Feature
50/50 - Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen...
In the performance categories, Michelle Williams took home the Best Female Lead award for her Marilyn Monroe portrayal in "My Week with Marilyn." Shailene Woodley, snubbed by the Academy for her memorable performance as George Clooney's daughter in "The Descendants," won Best Supporting Actress while Oscar frontrunner, Christopher Plummer, received the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in "Beginners."
Held on Santa Monica Beach and hosted by Seth Rogen, the 27th Film Independent Spirit Awards will be broadcast by IFC at 10 p.m. Pst/Est.
Here's the complete list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the Independent Spirit Awards:
Best Feature
50/50 - Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen...
- 2/26/2012
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, The Artist The Artist, Jean Dujardin, Michelle Williams: Spirit Award Winners Best Feature (Award given to the producer) 50/50 Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen Beginners Producers: Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Jay Van Hoy Drive Producers: Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel Take Shelter Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin * The Artist Producer: Thomas Langmann The Descendants Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor Best Director * Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist Mike Mills – Beginners Jeff Nichols – Take Shelter Alexander Payne – The Descendants Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive Best Screenplay Joseph Cedar – Footnote Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist Tom McCarthy – Win Win Mike Mills – Beginners * Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash – The Descendants Best International Film (Award given to the director) * A Separation (Iran) Director: Asghar Farhadi Melancholia (Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany) Director: Lars von Trier Shame (UK) Director: Steve McQueen...
- 2/25/2012
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Hardly a surprise to anyone, The Artist dominated the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards, winning for Best Feature, Director (Michel Hazanavicius), Actor (Jean Dujardin) and Cinematography (Guillaume Schiffman). There were some complaints in the Twitter-verse as Penelope Anne Miller accepted the awards for The Artist up until Hazanavicius and the rest of The Artist team arrived five minutes before Hazanavicious was named Best Director. The reason? They'd just landed at Lax after flying in from France where The Artist won six awards at the Cesar Awards, France's equivalent of the Oscars, last night. A police escort managed to get them to the Spirits just in time for their third win of the night... also in time to take the stage to accept Best Feature Film. The Artist went into the Spirits with Take Shelter as the leading nominees with both receiving five nominations each. Take Shelter, however, only ended up going home...
- 2/25/2012
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Chicago – Welcome to the HollywoodChicago.com coverage of the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards. These awards honor the best in independent film for 2011. Seth Rogen is hosting the Awards which will be shown at 9 p.m. Cst on IFC.
Below you will find a list of all the nominees for each category. As winners are announced, the list will be updated with winners appearing with a Spirit Awards icon next to them. All of the winners will have been announced before the show tonight, so if you don’t want to be Spoiled before watching the awards, don’t read any further.
Film Independent Spirit Awards
Photo credit: Film Independent
Best Feature
The Artist
Beginners
The Descendants
Drive
50/50
Take Shelter
Best Female Lead
Lauren Ambrose, “Think of Me”
Rachael Harris, “Natural Selection”
Adepero Oduye, “Pariah”
Elizabeth Olsen, “Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn”
Best Male Lead
Demián Bichir,...
Below you will find a list of all the nominees for each category. As winners are announced, the list will be updated with winners appearing with a Spirit Awards icon next to them. All of the winners will have been announced before the show tonight, so if you don’t want to be Spoiled before watching the awards, don’t read any further.
Film Independent Spirit Awards
Photo credit: Film Independent
Best Feature
The Artist
Beginners
The Descendants
Drive
50/50
Take Shelter
Best Female Lead
Lauren Ambrose, “Think of Me”
Rachael Harris, “Natural Selection”
Adepero Oduye, “Pariah”
Elizabeth Olsen, “Martha Marcy May Marlene”
Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn”
Best Male Lead
Demián Bichir,...
- 2/25/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards were announced at 8 am this morning, Hollywood Time:
Best Feature: 50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter, The Artist and The Descendants.
Best Director: Mike Mills (Beginners), Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter), Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) and Alexander Payne (The Descendants).
Best First Feature: Another Earth, In The Family, Margin Call, Martha Marcy May Marlene and Natural Selection.
Best Male Lead Performance: Demián Bichir (A Better Life), Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Ryan Gosling (Drive), Woody Harrelson (Rampart) and Michael Shannon (Take Shelter).
Best Female Lead Performance: Lauren Ambrose (Think of Me), Rachel Harris (Natural Selection), Adepero Oduye (Pariah), Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) and Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn).
Best Supporting Male Performance: Albert Brooks (Drive), John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Christopher Plummer (Beginners), John C Reilly (Cedar Rapids) and Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris).
Best Supporting Female Performance: Jessica Chastain...
Best Feature: 50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter, The Artist and The Descendants.
Best Director: Mike Mills (Beginners), Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter), Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) and Alexander Payne (The Descendants).
Best First Feature: Another Earth, In The Family, Margin Call, Martha Marcy May Marlene and Natural Selection.
Best Male Lead Performance: Demián Bichir (A Better Life), Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Ryan Gosling (Drive), Woody Harrelson (Rampart) and Michael Shannon (Take Shelter).
Best Female Lead Performance: Lauren Ambrose (Think of Me), Rachel Harris (Natural Selection), Adepero Oduye (Pariah), Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) and Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn).
Best Supporting Male Performance: Albert Brooks (Drive), John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Christopher Plummer (Beginners), John C Reilly (Cedar Rapids) and Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris).
Best Supporting Female Performance: Jessica Chastain...
- 11/30/2011
- MUBI
Fresh off a big double win at the Gothams (where it won Best Feature and Best Ensemble), Mike Mills' Beginners has nabbed four nominations for the 27th Indie Spirit Awards tying with three other Best Feature hopefuls in Jeff Nichol's Take Shelter, The Descendants and Cannes preemed, Drive. However the four were outmatched by Michel Hazanavicius's The Artist which garnered five noms in Best Feature, Best Director, Best Male Lead, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography categories. Martha Marcy May Marlene grabbed four noms as well if you add the Upcoming Producer award along with the three noms in the Best First Feature, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor categories. Among the notable nominees worth mentioning and that raised some eyebrows, we have Lauren Ambrose's perf in Tiff shown "Think Of Me" and Rachel Harris' bit in the SXSW preemed "Natural Selection" that landed Best Female...
- 11/30/2011
- IONCINEMA.com
At a ceremony in Los Angeles this morning, Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale announced the nominees for the 2012 Spirit Awards, which will be handed out on IFC on Saturday, February 25. And one night after it scored Best Film and Best Ensemble at the Gotham Awards, "Beginners" built more awards season momentum by landing four Spirit Award nominations: Best Feature, Best Director (Mike Mills), Best Screenplay (Mike Mills), and Best Supporting Male (Christopher Plummer). That put it one nomination behind the two biggest winners of the morning, "The Artist" and "Take Shelter," which each received five nominations. "Drive," "The Descendants," and "Martha Marcy May Marlene" also received four nominations a piece.
Picking the winners is not going to be easy for the members fo Film Independent this year; there are a lot of very deserving films and filmmakers and some very competitive categories. Take Best International Film. The nominees are "A Separation,...
Picking the winners is not going to be easy for the members fo Film Independent this year; there are a lot of very deserving films and filmmakers and some very competitive categories. Take Best International Film. The nominees are "A Separation,...
- 11/29/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards this morning. Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale served as presenters. Nominees for Best Feature include 50/50, Beginners, Drive, Take Shelter, The Artist and The Descendants.
Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
“The Film Independent Spirit Awards recognize the finest artistic achievements across the broad spectrum of independent filmmaking.from emerging talent working on a shoestring budget to established auteurs,” said Film Independent Senior Director Sean Mc Manus. “The 2012 nominees tell their stories in such an authentic way and reflect the inclusive nature of the independent filmmaking community. We are delighted to support them and expand the audience for their work.”
2012 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer,...
Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
“The Film Independent Spirit Awards recognize the finest artistic achievements across the broad spectrum of independent filmmaking.from emerging talent working on a shoestring budget to established auteurs,” said Film Independent Senior Director Sean Mc Manus. “The 2012 nominees tell their stories in such an authentic way and reflect the inclusive nature of the independent filmmaking community. We are delighted to support them and expand the audience for their work.”
2012 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer,...
- 11/29/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Artist, Take Shelter, and the other nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced. The 27th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards “are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films…The Independent Spirit Awards are presented by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers…The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from 277 submissions this year and applied the following guidelines in determining the nominations: uniqueness of vision, original and provocative subject matter, economy of means (with particular attention paid to total production cost & individual compensation), and percentage of financing from independent sources.”
This year’s award ceremony will be held on February 25, 2012 “at the beach in Santa Monica and broadcast by IFC.”
The full listing of the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations is below.
Best Feature (Award...
This year’s award ceremony will be held on February 25, 2012 “at the beach in Santa Monica and broadcast by IFC.”
The full listing of the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations is below.
Best Feature (Award...
- 11/29/2011
- by filmbook
- Film-Book
It’s that time of year for various organizations to recognize some of the best films of 2011. Some of these awards are lesser known, but the Film Independent Spirit Awards, is not one of them. Film Independent which also helps produce the Los Angeles Film Festival has announced the 2012 Spirit Award Nominees.
Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
Having seen Win Win the other day, I really hope that Tom McCarthy wins the award for Best Screenplay, but it will be hard to take the win, especially with the momentum that The Descendants and The Artist are having. As for other films, its no surprise to see 50/50, Drive, Beginners, and the aforementioned The Artist and The Descendants as the nominees for Best Feature. The Spirit Award nominees is just one of the...
Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
Having seen Win Win the other day, I really hope that Tom McCarthy wins the award for Best Screenplay, but it will be hard to take the win, especially with the momentum that The Descendants and The Artist are having. As for other films, its no surprise to see 50/50, Drive, Beginners, and the aforementioned The Artist and The Descendants as the nominees for Best Feature. The Spirit Award nominees is just one of the...
- 11/29/2011
- by Mike Lee
- FusedFilm
December is almost here and awards seasons is finally getting underway with a number of groups announcing their nominees today including the Gotham Independent Film Awards, New York Film Critics Circle, and the Independent Spirit Awards. Of these, the Spirit Awards are probably the most significant in that they can have a small influence on the Oscars, although they usually just end up honouring a lot of the stuff that the Academy ignores. This year, however, there are quite a few well-known nominees including at least three that received a wide theatrical release (50/50, Drive and Midnight in Paris). The movies that seem to be getting the most recognition, however, are Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist and Jeff Nichols' Take Shelter. Both received five nominations, while Drive and Martha Marcy May Marlene were also recognized with four nominations each. I'm a bit surprised that Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris...
- 11/29/2011
- by Sean
- FilmJunk
It’s that time of year when bows of holly are hung, children scribble wish lists for Santa, and films worldwide jockey for notice as award season kicks off! Just a day after the Gotham Awards announced their winners, the 27th Film Independent’s Spirit Awards has announced their nominees.
The Spirit Awards has long aimed to pay tribute to the little films that often unfairly fail to grab Oscar notice. (It’s no coincidence that the Spirit Awards telecast is traditionally held the day before the Oscars ceremony each year.) Of course, with the Academy’s expansion to 10 Best Picture nominees, the past few years have shown an increase in the amount of crossover between the two award shows. Last year both the Academy Awards and the Spirit Awards bestowed nominations (if not awards) to Black Swan, Winter’s Bone, 127 Hours, The King’s Speech, The Kids Are All Right,...
The Spirit Awards has long aimed to pay tribute to the little films that often unfairly fail to grab Oscar notice. (It’s no coincidence that the Spirit Awards telecast is traditionally held the day before the Oscars ceremony each year.) Of course, with the Academy’s expansion to 10 Best Picture nominees, the past few years have shown an increase in the amount of crossover between the two award shows. Last year both the Academy Awards and the Spirit Awards bestowed nominations (if not awards) to Black Swan, Winter’s Bone, 127 Hours, The King’s Speech, The Kids Are All Right,...
- 11/29/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
"The Artist" and "Take Shelter" scored the most nominations for the Film Independent's Spirit Awards announced today. Each film received five nods while "Beginners," "Drive," "The Descendants," and "Martha Marcy May Marlene" each received four nominations.
The Spirit Award prides itself in honoring American-made films that are budgeted at under $20 million. Read the nominations below. The winners will be announced at the 27th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony on Feb. 25th. You can see the festivities on IFC.
And here are the nominees for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards:
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer)
50/50 - Ben Karlin, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Beginners - Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Jan Van Hoy, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech
Drive - Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel
Take Shelter - Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
The Artist - Thomas Langmann, Emmanuel Montamat
The Descendants - Jim Burke, Alexander Payne,...
The Spirit Award prides itself in honoring American-made films that are budgeted at under $20 million. Read the nominations below. The winners will be announced at the 27th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony on Feb. 25th. You can see the festivities on IFC.
And here are the nominees for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards:
Best Feature (Award given to the Producer)
50/50 - Ben Karlin, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
Beginners - Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Jan Van Hoy, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech
Drive - Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel
Take Shelter - Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
The Artist - Thomas Langmann, Emmanuel Montamat
The Descendants - Jim Burke, Alexander Payne,...
- 11/29/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
It's an award-based morning as not only were the Gotham Awards handed out last night, the New York Film Critics are in the middle of handing out their awards right now (that list is coming shortly) and now the nominations for Film Independent's 2012 Independent Spirit Awards were announced as Michael Hazanavicius' The Artist and Jeff Nichols' Take Shelter led the pack with five nominations each. The two leaders, however, were followed closely by Beginners, The Descendants, Martha Marcy May Marlene and Drive with four. Of those six, only Martha Marcy May Marlene wasn't nominated for Best Feature as it was replaced by 50/50, which ended up with three nominations. Of the films nominated for Best Feature, my gut tells me it's a battle between The Artist and The Descendants and this just may end up being the first sign as to which of those two may end up being the Oscar favorite.
- 11/29/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
The Los Angeles Film Festival has announced the world premiere of Richard Linklater's Bernie as the opening night film for the 2011 festival.
The film will kick off the festival on June 16 at Regal Cinemas Stadium 14 at L.A. Live. It is written by Skip Hollandsworth and director Linklater and stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey.
The film follows a beloved mortician (Black) from a small Texas town, even winning over the town's richest, meanest widow (MacLaine). Even after Bernie commits a horrible crime, people still will not utter a bad word against him.
"We're thrilled to be opening the Festival with the world premiere of this delicious black comedy - a treat from one of the most original and exciting voices in independent film, Richard Linklater," said Festival director Rebecca Yeldham. "With its fabulous all-star cast, Bernie is a perfect stage setter for the incredible line-up of...
The film will kick off the festival on June 16 at Regal Cinemas Stadium 14 at L.A. Live. It is written by Skip Hollandsworth and director Linklater and stars Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Matthew McConaughey.
The film follows a beloved mortician (Black) from a small Texas town, even winning over the town's richest, meanest widow (MacLaine). Even after Bernie commits a horrible crime, people still will not utter a bad word against him.
"We're thrilled to be opening the Festival with the world premiere of this delicious black comedy - a treat from one of the most original and exciting voices in independent film, Richard Linklater," said Festival director Rebecca Yeldham. "With its fabulous all-star cast, Bernie is a perfect stage setter for the incredible line-up of...
- 5/30/2011
- by alyssa@mediavine.com (Alyssa Caverley)
- Reel Movie News
Holding court downtown from June 16-26, 2011, the Los Angeles Film Festival comprehensively curates the cinematic landscape across a variety of media. Produced by Film Independent, the festival has continued to grow in recent years, and now boasts many of the best independent films of the year.
With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.
For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...
With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.
For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...
- 5/3/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Holding court downtown from June 16-26, 2011, the Los Angeles Film Festival comprehensively curates the cinematic landscape across a variety of media. Produced by Film Independent, the festival has continued to grow in recent years, and now boasts many of the best independent films of the year.
With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.
For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...
With the departure of the organization’s CEO, Dawn Hudson, to run the Academy, it will be interesting to see whether the festival’s director Rebecca Yeldham will stay on board past 2011. In the meantime, they’ve announced their line-up for the 2011 festival, and it includes some much buzzed about Sundance and SxSW titles (“Project Nim,” “The Future,” “Crime After Crime,” “The Salesman,” “Terri,” “Another Earth,” “The Guard,” “Natural Selection,” “Tyrannosaur,” “Where Soldiers Come From” and “Higher Ground,” to name a few), as well as 27 world, North American and U.S. premieres.
For the official list of competition and other films, as well as...
- 5/3/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Film Independent Announces First Round Of Us & International
Film Selections For 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival,
Presented By The Los Angeles Times - 19 Films Chosen for Narrative & Documentary Competition - - International Spotlight to Focus on Cuba -
Los Angeles (May 3, 2011) . Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times, announced the first round of official Us and international selections. The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival is produced by Film Independent . the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards . and will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. Opening and Closing Night films, Galas, Conversations, Artists in Residence, Lafca.s Films That Got Away, along with additional special guests and programming for the Festival Talks will be announced at later dates.
Returning to downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday,...
Film Selections For 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival,
Presented By The Los Angeles Times - 19 Films Chosen for Narrative & Documentary Competition - - International Spotlight to Focus on Cuba -
Los Angeles (May 3, 2011) . Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, presented by the Los Angeles Times, announced the first round of official Us and international selections. The 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival is produced by Film Independent . the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards . and will screen over 200 feature films, shorts, and music videos, representing more than 30 countries. Opening and Closing Night films, Galas, Conversations, Artists in Residence, Lafca.s Films That Got Away, along with additional special guests and programming for the Festival Talks will be announced at later dates.
Returning to downtown Los Angeles, with its central hub at L.A. Live, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 16 to Sunday,...
- 5/3/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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