The Spirit Awards celebrates artist-driven filmmaking and recognizes the finest achievements of today’s independent filmmakers.                                     2012 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED - $115,000 in grants to be awarded to filmmakers - LOS ANGELES (Novembe...

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 Descendants and The Artist.Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ense...

 .............                                                                                                                                                          NEWSLETTER N° 500 bis: march 11rd, 2011 Follow this LINK if you cannot read the newsletter properly  500 Let us toast to that! Since we like that number we will name this issue 500 bis if you do not mind? ...

 .............                                                                                                                                                          NEWSLETTER N° 500: march 3rd, 2011 Follow this LINK if you cannot read the newsletter properly  500! let us toast to that! Contact the Editor, Advertise with us  This weekly newsletter reaches 90 9...

  BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer) Black Swan BEST DIRECTOR Darren Aronfosky, "Black Swan" BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer) Get Low JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer) Daddy Longlegs BEST SCREENPLAY "The Kids Are All Right" BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY "Tiny Furniture" BEST FEMALE LEAD Natalie Por...

 by Marla LewinFilm Independent which sponsors the Independent Spirit Awards which honor the independent filmmaker gave its awards today.Best Feature                                                   Fox SearchlightBlack Swan                                                      Producers: Scott Franklin, Mike Medavoy, Arnold W. Messer, Brian Oliver Best Director             Â...

  Jesse Eisenberg in THE SOCIAL NETWORK  As a media junkie (guilty as charged), I cannot help but be inundated this time of the year with all manner of critics pontificating on their "top ten" favorites of the year in the worlds of film, theater, music, art, fashion, politics, etc. While in the past, anxious readers waited with breath that is baited for what the New York Times writers and other major critics singled out as the year's best cultural attractions, the in...

  WINTER'S BONE, the debut feature by director Debra Granik that won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, continues to cement its status as this year's "indie it" film with major wins at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, which were held in New York City on Monday evening. The 20th edition of the Awards gala, which is sponsored by the IFP, the indie filmmakers membership organization that also sponsors the New York Film Week market and screenings each Sept...

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations this morning for the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards.  Eva Mendes and Jeremy Renner served as presenters and 2011 Spirit Awards host Joel McHale was also on hand.  Nominees for Best Feature include 127 Hours, Black Swan, Greenberg, The Kids Are All Right and Winter's Bone. Please Give was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given...

  Maybe it is the altitude or its location high in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, but Sundance Film Festival jurors seem to gravitate towards films that can be both chilly (and chilling) in tone and execution. Two years ago, it was FROZEN RIVER, a film about border smuggling in the frozen tundra of upstate New York that put one in the mood for an overcoat and a teeming cup of Ovaltine. Last year’s winner PRECIOUS, which just secured an impressive five Oscar nominations this morni...

 Last night was the closing of the month long 17th annual nationwide Young Playwrights Festival, at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The Festival is an opportunity for teenage playwrights to have their work produced, directed and acted out by professional actors from the the Hollywood community. Twelve winning plays were chosen by a panel of theatre professionals from plays submitted by teenaged playwrights, aged 15 -19 from across the United States. Playwrights were then assigned a ...

Last night was the closing of the month long 17th annual nationwide Young Playwrights Festival, at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The Festival is an opportunity for teenage playwrights to have their work produced, directed and acted out by professional actors from the the Hollywood community. Twelve winning plays were chosen by a panel of theatre professionals from plays submitted by teenaged playwrights, aged 15 -19 from across the United States. Playwrights were then assigned a wri...