February
23
Juno, Savages, Diving Bell Are Big 2008 Spirit Award Winners
The Indie Spirits started out sunny---as the gaggle of execs, filmmakers, agents, writers and actors happily networked outside the Santa Monica beach tent-- but the skies turned grey and threatening as the show commenced around 2 PM Saturday. The rain drummed on the tent roof but let up by the time the show was over and folks headed towards the IFC Shutters party. I did not catch up with Brad and Angelina, who gamely participated in the event, even though Jolie was heading toward losing best actress to Juno's Ellen Page.
"Greetings indie weirdos," said host Rainn Wilson at the start of the Spirits show, citing the inclusion of a nominee like Juno that grossed more than $150 million and a host of others "so obscure you never heard of, like every other film here." He unveiled the source of all the energy for the first-ever green Spirits from behind a curtain: Ed Begley Jr. on a bicycle. "Keep peddling," ordered Wilson, as the lights dimmed.
Fox Searchlight had a great day, winning six awards: best picture, actress and best first screenplay for Juno, best screenplay and actor for The Savages and best foreign film for Once. Juno scripter Diablo Cody, resplendent in a low-cut red dress, thanked manager "Mason Novick who introduced me to Jason Reitman, who introduced me to Ellen Page, who introduced me to this mother-fucker," as she brandished her award. (At the IFC Shutters party later, Cody said that as soon as she got word that Galliano wanted to do her Oscar gown, she said "done!")
The Savages writer Tamara Jenkins thanked Searchlight for making her first and second films. "Hopefully they'll make my third if I ever write it," she said. Her husband, Sideways writer Jim Taylor, "has one of these at home. We can do bicep curls."
A radiantly pregnant Cate Blanchett won best supporting actress for Weinstein Co's I'm Not There, paying tribute to her co-star Heath Ledger. Director Todd Haynes, casting director Laura Rosenthal and the entire cast of I'm Not There won the first ever Robert Altman Award. Ledger, who had directed a number of music videos, was planning to direct his first film, Queen's Gambit, Haynes said. "I've no doubt he would have made an astounding director," he said. "I treasure the time we shared on this film."
Julian Schnabel was uncharacteristically gracious accepting the win for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and thanked his producer. "Without Jon Kilik, I don't want to make a movie," he said. Diving Bell cinematographer Janusz Kaminski won cinematography, and told the crowd he had refused to work for just $3,000 a week. Thank you, he said to producer Kathy Kennedy.
Several studio folks who don't usually venture into Spirit land showed up this year, including producers Walter Parkes and Laurence Mark, who won Best First Feature for screenwriter-turned-director Scott Frank's The Lookout. Frank developed the movie for 12 years at three studios and with as many directors, Frank said, until Spyglass stepped up to write the check for the movie, and Miramax agreed to distribute. Frank was happy he finally made the film with the actors he wanted and the ending he wanted, he said. At a studio that wouldn't have been possible, and the movie would have cost twice as much.
As usual the day before the Academy Awards there was much pre-Oscar talk, as many of us have doubts about some categories. David Ansen of Newsweek summed up the Marion Cotillard beating Julie Christie argument succinctly: "She's self-destructive, she sings and she's wearing makeup." We agreed that anyone who thinks they know who's going to win supporting actress is crazy. Ansen also believes that Tilda Swinton could win on the basis that Michael Clayton has to win something. It's a valid theory.
At the IFC party at Shutters, which was funneled downstairs in the noisy basement this year, John Waters was hanging with Todd Haynes and Christine Vachon in an outdoor smoking corner. "If you win at the Spirits you always lose at the Oscars," he reminded.
[Photos from top: Juno winners Ellen Page, Diablo Cody and producer Lianne Halfon; Juno director Jason Reitman and Fox Searchlight prexy Peter Rice; The Diving Bell and the Butterfly producer Jon Kilik and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski; The Lookout's Laurence Mark and Scott Frank; SKE's Bingham Ray and Newsweek's David Ansen; John Waters and David Alan Grier.]
The complete list of the winners and more photos are on the jump:
Best Feature
Juno
Best Director
Julian Schnabel, 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'
Best Screenplay
Tamara Jenkins, 'The Savages'
Best First Feature
The Lookout Director: Scott Frank
Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber,
Laurence Mark, Walter Parkes
Miramax Films
Best First Screenplay
Diablo Cody, 'Juno'
John Cassavetes Award
(For the Best Feature made for under $500,000) Writer/Director: Chris Eska
August Evening Producers: Connie Hill, Jason Wehling
Maya Pictures
Best Supporting Female
Cate Blanchett, 'I’m Not There'
Best Supporting Male
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 'Talk To Me'
Best Female Lead
Ellen Page, 'Juno'
Best Male Lead
Philip Seymour Hoffman, 'The Savages'
Best Cinematography
Janusz Kaminski, 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'
Best Foreign Film
Once, Director: John Carney
Best Documentary
Crazy Love, Director: Dan Klores
[Photos from top: Picturehouse prexy Bob Berney and Film Independent's Dawn Hudson; Variety's Madelyn Hammond and press agent Jennifer Allen; Juno's J.K. Simmons; Josh Hartnett; Movie City News' David Poland; Focus Features prexy James Schamus; Variety's Sharon Swart, Cinetic Media's John Sloss and Paramount Vantage prexy Nick Meyer; IFC prexy Jonathan Seyring and critic Leonard Maltin; ThinkFilm's Mark Urman and wife Debra Davis; Variety's Michael Fleming and agent Steve Rabineau; Netflix's Ted Sarandos; agent Rich Klubeck; Sundance's Geoffrey Gilmore and TWC's Harvey Weinstein; Sundance's Michelle Satter and producer Ron Yerxa; Ruby Dee and director Kasi Lemmons; Brangelina's departing limo.
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