This year’s nominations for the Indie Spirit Awards (AKA the place where the American indie film industry gets to hold its own version of an Oscar backslap have been announced.
And it should come as no surprise that box office smash and critical darling Little Miss Sunshine and acclaimed drama Half Nelson are leading the nominations with five each. But there’s plenty of competition on show here, with the likes of Pan’s Labyrinth and The Illusionist also represented. Below is a partial list of the nominations, but a full rundown can be found here.
BEST FEATURE
American Gun
The Dead Girl
Half Nelson
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan's Labyrinth
BEST DIRECTOR
Robert Altman, A Prairie Home Companion
Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, Little Miss Sunshine
Ryan Fleck, Half Nelson
Karen Moncrieff, The Dead Girl
Steven Soderbergh, Bubble
BEST FIRST FEATURE
Day Night Day Night
Man Push Cart
The Motel
Sweet Land
Wristcutters: A Love Story
BEST SCREENPLAY
Neil Burger, The Illusionist
Nicole Holofcener, Friends With Money
Ron Nyswaner, The Painted Veil
Jason Reitman, Thank You For Smoking
Jeff Stanzler, Sorry, Haters
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Michael Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine
Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck, Half Nelson
Goran Dukic, Wristcutters: A Love Story
Dito Montiel, A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints
Gabrielle Zevin, Conversations With Other Women
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Shareeka Epps, Half Nelson
Catherine O'Hara, For Your Consideration
Elizabeth Reaser, Sweet Land
Michelle Williams, Land Of Plenty
Robin Wright Penn, Sorry, Haters
BEST MALE LEAD
Aaron Eckhart, Thank You For Smoking
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Edward Norton, The Painted Veil
Ahmad Razvi, Man Push Cart
Forest Whitaker, American Gun
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Melonie Diaz, A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints
Marcia Gay Harden, American Gun
Mary Beth Hurt, The Dead Girl
Frances McDormand, Friends With Money
Amber Tamblyn, Stephanie Daley
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Raymond J. Barry, Steel City
Daniel Craig, Infamous
Paul Dano, Little Miss Sunshine
Channing Tatum, A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints