2010 Spirit Awards

The mood was Precious on Friday, March 5, at Film Independent’s 2010 Spirit Awards.

Precious took home awards for Best First Screenplay (Geoffrey Fletcher), Best Director, and Best Feature, as well as Best Lead (Gabourey Sidibe) and Supporting Female (Mo’Nique). (Fletcher and Mo’Nique brought home the gold at Sunday‘s Oscars, as well.) Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber received the award for Best Screenplay for (500) Days Of Summer.

BEST FEATURE
Precious – Producers: Lee Daniels, Gary Magness, Sarah Siegel-Magness

BEST DIRECTOR
Lee Daniels – Precious

BEST FIRST FEATURE
Crazy Heart – Director: Scott Cooper
Producers: T Bone Burnett, Judy Cairo, Rob Carliner, Scott Cooper, Robert Duvall

BEST SCREENPLAY
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber – (500) Days Of Summer

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Geoffrey Fletcher – Precious

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer.
Hump Day – Writer/Director/Producer: Lynn Shelton

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Gabourey Sidibe – Precious

BEST MALE LEAD
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Mo’Nique – Precious

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Roger Deakins – A Serious Man

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Anvil! The Story of Anvil – Director: Sacha Gervasi

BEST FOREIGN FILM – An Education (UK/France)- Director: Lone Scherfig

ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 16th annual Acura 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 funded by Acura.
Kyle Patrick Alvarez – Easier With Practice

CHAZ & ROGER EBERT TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 15th 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.
Bill Ross and Turner Ross – 45365

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 13th 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.
Karin Chien – The Exploding Girl, Santa Mesa

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
A Serious Man
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Casting Directors: Ellen Chenoweth, Rachel Tenner
Ensemble Cast: Richard Kind, Sari Lennick, Jessica McManus, Fred Melamed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Aaron Wolff

Congratulations to all the 2010 Spirit Award Winners. Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival.

For video clips from the 25th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards, go to: http://www.babelgum.com/spiritawards