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2003 IFP Independent Spirit Award Nominations

Jake Gyllenhaal and Catherine Keener in "Lovely & Amazing" Photo by Alexia Pilat/Good Machine

(indieWIRE: 12.11.02) -- Today in Los Angeles, the IFP announced nominees for the 2003 Independent Spirit Awards, which will be presented in Santa Monica, CA on March 22, 2003.

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer)
* Executive Producers are not listed.

Far From Heaven, Producers: Jody Patton, Christine Vachon
The Good Girl, Producer: Matthew Greenfield
Lovely & Amazing, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Eric d'Arbeloff, Ted Hope
Secretary, Producers: Andrew Fierberg, Amy Hobby, Steven Shainberg
Tully, Producers: Hilary Birmingham, Annie Sundberg

BEST DIRECTOR

Joe Carnahan, Narc
Todd Haynes, Far From Heaven
Nicole Holofcener, Lovely & Amazing
Bernard Rose, ivans xtc.
Gus Van Sant, Gerry

BEST SCREENPLAY

The Good Girl, Mike White
Lovely & Amazing, Nicole Holofcener
Roger Dodger, Dylan Kidd
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, Jill Sprecher and Karen Sprecher
Tully, Hilary Birmingham and Matt Drake

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the Director)

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Director: Peter Care
Interview with the Assassin, Director: Neil Burger
Manito, Director: Eric Eason
Paid In Full, Director: Charles Stone III
Roger Dodger, Director: Dylan Kidd

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

Hysterical Blindness, Laura Cahill
Igby Goes Down, Burr Steers
Interview with the Assassin, Neil Burger
Kissing Jessica Stein, Heather Juergensen and Jennifer Westfeldt
Secretary, Erin Cressida Wilson

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; Award given to the Writer, Director, and Producer)
* Executive Producers are not listed.

Charlotte Sometimes, Director/Writer: Eric Byler
Producers: Marc Ambrose, Eric Byler

Dahmer, Director/Writer: David Jacobson
Producer: Larry Rattner

ivans xtc., Director: Bernard Rose
Writers: Lisa Enos and Bernard Rose
Producer: Lisa Enos

Personal Velocity, Director/Writer: Rebecca Miller
Producers: Alexis Alexanian, Lemore Syvan, Gary Winick

The Slaughter Rule, Directors/Writers: Alex Smith and Alex Smith
Producers: Gregory O'Connor, Michael Robinson

BEST DEBUT PERFORMANCE (Actors in their first significant role in a feature film)

Bob Burrus, Tully
America Ferrera, Real Women Have Curves
Raven Goodwin, Lovely & Amazing
Artel Kayaru, Dahmer
Nia Vardalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

Viola Davis, Antwone Fisher
Jacqueline Kim, Charlotte Sometimes
Juliette Lewis, Hysterical Blindness
Emily Mortimer, Lovely & Amazing
Julianne Nicholson, Tully

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

Alan Arkin, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
Ray Liotta, Narc
Dennis Quaid, Far From Heaven
John C. Reilly, The Good Girl
Peter Weller, ivans xtc.

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Secretary
Catherine Keener, Lovely & Amazing
Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven
Parker Posey, Personal Velocity

BEST MALE LEAD

Graham Greene, Skins
Danny Huston, ivans xtc.
Derek Luke, Antwone Fisher
Jeremy Renner, Dahmer
Campbell Scott, Roger Dodger

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Far From Heaven, Edward Lachman
Gerry, Harris Savides
Interview with the Assassin, Richard Rutkowski
Narc, Alex Nepomniaschy
Personal Velocity, Ellen Kuras

BEST FOREIGN FILM (Award given to the Director)

Bloody Sunday - Ireland Director: Paul Greengrass
The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat) - Canada Director: Zacharias Kunuk
The Piano Teacher (La Pianiste) - France Director: Michael Haneke
Time Out (L'Emploi du temps) - France Director: Laurent Cantet
Y Tu Mam· TambiČn - Mexico Director: Alfonso CuarŪn

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the Director)

Bowling for Columbine, Director: Michael Moore
The Cockettes, Directors: Bill Weber and David Weissman
Devil's Playground, Director: Lucy Walker
How to Draw a Bunny, Director: John Walter
Stevie, Director: Steve James

This year's Nominating Committee (for primary awards) was chaired by writer/director Bill Condon. The 14 person committee included cinematographer John Bailey, documentarian Randy Barbato, film programmer Dennis Bartok, writer/director Lisa Cholodenko, casting director Aisha Coley, IFP/Los Angeles Executive Director Dawn Hudson, producer Jeff Kleeman, writer/director Karyn Kusama, producer Gail Mutrux, writer Jose Rivera, actor Michelle Rodriguez, Film Critic Kenneth Turan, and actor Isaiah Washington.

SPECIAL PRIZES:

Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve Someone to Watch Award
The ninth annual Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $20,000 unrestricted grant, funded by Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve Vineyards, to help the winning filmmaker pursue his or her craft.

Finalists for the 2003 Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve Someone to Watch Award are:

Eric Eason, director of Manito
Eitan Gorlin, director of The Holy Land
Przemyslaw Reut, director of Paradox Lake

Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve Someone to Watch Award Nominating Committee: Manohla Dargis (Chair), Wesley Morris, Jytte Jensen, Shari Frilot, Ryan Werner

DIRECTV / IFC Truer Than Fiction Award
The seventh annual DIRECTV / IFC Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features: a filmmaker of unique vision and talent who has not yet received significant attention. The award is accompanied by a $20,000 unrestricted grant, funded by DIRECTV and the Independent Film Channel.

The Finalists for the 2003 DIRECTV / IFC Truer Than Fiction Award are:

Jeff Blitz for Spellbound
Jennifer Dworkin for Love & Diane
Eugene Jarecki for The Trials of Henry Kissinger
Mark Moskowitz for Stone Reader

DIRECTV / IFC Truer Than Fiction Award Nominating Committee: Brian Gordon (Chair), Eugene Hernandez, Deann Borshay Liem, Diane Weyermann, Mike Maggiore

Motorola Producers Award
The sixth annual Motorola Producers Award honors filmmakers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality independent films. The winner of the Motorola Producers Award will receive an unrestricted grant of $20,000 funded by Motorola.

The Finalists for the 2003 Motorola Producers Award are:

Effie T. Brown, producer of Real Women Have Curves and Stranger Inside
Jesse Scolaro and Allen Bain, producers of Manito and Cry Funny Happy
Eden H. Wurmfeld, producer of Kissing Jessica Stein and Fanci's Persuasion

Motorola Producers Award Nominating Committee: Peter Broderick (Chair), Diana E. Williams, Andrea Sperling, Susan Stover, Scott Macaulay