Story from Variety
'Juno' tops Spirit Awards
Indie comedy/drama wins best feature, actress
23 Feb 2008 (from a beach in Santa Monica) "Juno" delivered three key wins at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards including best picture.
The annual kudos fest, held on the beach in Santa Monica, anointed Fox Searchlight the big winner with "Juno's" Ellen Page and Diablo Cody best actress and first screenplay, respectively.
The specialty label, which also won top prize last year for "Little Miss Sunshine," also celebrated two significant wins for its film "The Savages," with Philip Seymour Hoffman (in a bit of a surprise) taking best actor honors and Tamara Jenkins being tapped her screenplay.
Julian Schnabel won the best director statue for his "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (clad in his requisite pajamas). His film also won Best Cinematography.
Rounding out the main awards were Chiwetel Ejiofor (absent) for his supporting turn in "Talk to Me" and the very present (& pregnant) Cate Blanchett as best supporting actress for "I'm Not There." She dedicated her award to the late Heath Ledger.
Juno, The hit comedy, is also the highest-grossing of the five Oscar nominees. Best Female Lead for star Ellen Page professed her adoration for director Jason Reitman and for ebullient writer Diablo Cody (also a winner).
"Once" was named Best Foreign Film, Crazy Love received Best Documentary, and The Lookout won Best First Feature.
Hosted by first-timer Rainn Wilson of The Office, the Spirit Awards also bestowed I'm Not There with the first Robert Altman Award, honoring the outstanding director, casting director, and ensemble cast of an independent film; director Todd Haynes paid homage to late star Heath Ledger as well as his acclaimed cast.
In between award presentations, there were songs performed -- some parodies, some not -- as it rained outside in Santa Monica and Javier Bardem, who presented the Best Director award, became the object of affection for host Wilson.
Winners:
Best Feature:
"Juno"
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Mason Novick, Russell Smith
Director:
Julian Schnabel - "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Female Lead:
Ellen Page - "Juno"
Supporting Male:
Chiwetel Ejiofor - "Talk To Me"
First Screenplay:
Diablo Cody - "Juno"
First Feature:
"The Lookout" - Director: Scott Frank
Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Laurence Mark, Walter Parkes
Supporting Female:
Cate Blanchett - "I’m Not There"
John Cassavetes Award:
(Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
"August Evening" - Writer/Director: Chris Eska
Producers: Connie Hill, Jason Wehling
Foreign Film:
"Once" (Ireland) - John Carney
Male Lead:
Philip Seymour Hoffman - "The Savages"
Screenplay
Tamara Jenkins - "The Savages"
Documentary
"Crazy Love" - Director: Dan Klores
Cinematography
Janusz Kaminski - "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Robert Altman Award (new category)
"I’m Not There"
Director: Todd Haynes; Casting Director: Laura Rosenthal; Ensemble Cast: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Bruce Greenwood, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw
Pre-selected by FilmIndependent panel:
IFC/ACURA Someone to Watch Award
Ramin Bahrani, director of "Chop Shop"
Producers Award
Neil Kopp, producer of "Paranoid Park" and "Old Joy"
Truer than Fiction Award
Laura Dunn for "The Unforeseen"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
'Juno' tops Spirit Awards
Indie comedy/drama wins best feature, actress
23 Feb 2008 (from a beach in Santa Monica) "Juno" delivered three key wins at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards including best picture.
The annual kudos fest, held on the beach in Santa Monica, anointed Fox Searchlight the big winner with "Juno's" Ellen Page and Diablo Cody best actress and first screenplay, respectively.
The specialty label, which also won top prize last year for "Little Miss Sunshine," also celebrated two significant wins for its film "The Savages," with Philip Seymour Hoffman (in a bit of a surprise) taking best actor honors and Tamara Jenkins being tapped her screenplay.
Julian Schnabel won the best director statue for his "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" (clad in his requisite pajamas). His film also won Best Cinematography.
Rounding out the main awards were Chiwetel Ejiofor (absent) for his supporting turn in "Talk to Me" and the very present (& pregnant) Cate Blanchett as best supporting actress for "I'm Not There." She dedicated her award to the late Heath Ledger.
Juno, The hit comedy, is also the highest-grossing of the five Oscar nominees. Best Female Lead for star Ellen Page professed her adoration for director Jason Reitman and for ebullient writer Diablo Cody (also a winner).
"Once" was named Best Foreign Film, Crazy Love received Best Documentary, and The Lookout won Best First Feature.
Hosted by first-timer Rainn Wilson of The Office, the Spirit Awards also bestowed I'm Not There with the first Robert Altman Award, honoring the outstanding director, casting director, and ensemble cast of an independent film; director Todd Haynes paid homage to late star Heath Ledger as well as his acclaimed cast.
In between award presentations, there were songs performed -- some parodies, some not -- as it rained outside in Santa Monica and Javier Bardem, who presented the Best Director award, became the object of affection for host Wilson.
Winners:
Best Feature:
"Juno"
Producers: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Mason Novick, Russell Smith
Director:
Julian Schnabel - "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Female Lead:
Ellen Page - "Juno"
Supporting Male:
Chiwetel Ejiofor - "Talk To Me"
First Screenplay:
Diablo Cody - "Juno"
First Feature:
"The Lookout" - Director: Scott Frank
Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Laurence Mark, Walter Parkes
Supporting Female:
Cate Blanchett - "I’m Not There"
John Cassavetes Award:
(Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
"August Evening" - Writer/Director: Chris Eska
Producers: Connie Hill, Jason Wehling
Foreign Film:
"Once" (Ireland) - John Carney
Male Lead:
Philip Seymour Hoffman - "The Savages"
Screenplay
Tamara Jenkins - "The Savages"
Documentary
"Crazy Love" - Director: Dan Klores
Cinematography
Janusz Kaminski - "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Robert Altman Award (new category)
"I’m Not There"
Director: Todd Haynes; Casting Director: Laura Rosenthal; Ensemble Cast: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Bruce Greenwood, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw
Pre-selected by FilmIndependent panel:
IFC/ACURA Someone to Watch Award
Ramin Bahrani, director of "Chop Shop"
Producers Award
Neil Kopp, producer of "Paranoid Park" and "Old Joy"
Truer than Fiction Award
Laura Dunn for "The Unforeseen"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++