Take Shelter and The Artist lead the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations with 5 nods each including the nomination for Best Feature Film. Other nominees for Best Feature Film include 50/50, Beginners, and Drive.  Margin Call was selected to receive the annual Robert Altman Award.

“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, Executive Producers are not listed)
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 FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Another Earth
Director: Mike Cahill
Producers: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker
In the Family
Director: Patrick Wang
Producers: Robert Tonino, Andrew van den Houten, Patrick Wang
Margin Call
Director: J.C. Chandor
Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Director: Sean Durkin
Producers: Antonio Campos, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Josh Mond
Natural Selection
Director: Robbie Pickering
Producers: Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling
Another Earth
J.C. Chandor
Margin Call
Patrick deWitt
Terri
Phil Johnston
Cedar Rapids
Will Reiser
50/50

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
Bellflower
Writer/Director: Evan Glodell
Producers: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw
Circumstance
Writer/Director: Maryam Keshavarz
Producers: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa M. Lee
Hello Lonesome
Writer/Director/Producer: Adam Reid
Pariah
Writer/Director: Dee Rees
Producer: Nekisa Cooper
The Dynamiter
Writer: Brad Inglesby
Director: Matthew Gordon
Producers: Kevin Abrams, Matthew Gordon, Merilee Holt, Art Jones, Mike Jones, Nate Tuck, Amile Wilson

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
A Better Life
Jean Dujardin
The Artist
Ryan Gosling
Drive
Woody Harrelson
Rampart
Michael Shannon
Take Shelter

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jessica Chastain
Take Shelter
Anjelica Huston
50/50
Janet McTeer
Albert Nobbs
Harmony Santana
Gun Hill Road
Shailene Woodley
The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Albert Brooks
Drive
John Hawkes
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Christopher Plummer
Beginners
John C. Reilly
Cedar Rapids
Corey Stoll
Midnight in Paris

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Joel Hodge
Bellflower
Benjamin Kasulke
The Off Hours
Darius Khondji
Midnight in Paris
Guillaume Schiffman
The Artist
Jeffrey Waldron
The Dynamiter

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
An African Election
Director/Producer: Jarreth Merz
Bill Cunningham New York
Director: Richard Press
Producer: Philip Gefter
The Interrupters
Director/Producer: Steve James
Producer: Alex Kotlowitz
The Redemption of General Butt Naked
Director/Producers: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion
We Were Here
Director/Producer: David Weissman

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
The Kid With a Bike
(Belgium/France/Italy)
Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Tyrannosaur
(UK)
Director: Paddy Considine

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 15th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films.  The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
Chad Burris
Mosquita y Mari
Sophia Lin
Take Shelter
Josh Mond
Martha Marcy May Marlene

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 18th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.  The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Simon Arthur
Silver Tongues
Mark Jackson
Without
Nicholas Ozeki
Mamitas

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 17th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.  The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Heather Courtney
Where Soldiers Come From
Danfung Dennis
Hell and Back Again
Alma Har’el
Bombay Beach

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Margin Call
Director: J.C. Chandor

Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey

Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci