There used to be a time when the Spirit Awards would be different and more daring than the Oscars. Now they are a rehearsal for it. Everyone who won today will win something tomorrow night. The only difference will be a lot of songs to distract us. Richard Linklater didn’t show up today, and he won Best Director for “Boyhood.” No one seemed to know what was up with that, but I’m told there’s bad blood between Linklater and Film Independent for some reason. Ethan Hawke accepted for him, saying “I’m not Richard Linklater. I just play him in the movies.”
After the show, I ran into Jessica Chastain, who herself had just met the real life people from the movie “Virunga.” She was overwhelmed, took pictures with them, offered all her help. She said, “What these men did for the gorillas is so extraordinary, and we’re just here at an awards show.” She’d also just arrived from Budapest and was very jet lagged.
Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell were very good hosts. Armisen is musical, funny, creative, witty. I loved their little film satirizing “Birdman.”
Best Feature:Â Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
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Best Director:Â Richard Linklater (IFC Films)
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Best Screenplay:Â Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
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Best First Feature:Â Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
Director: Dan Gilroy, Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak
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Best First Screenplay:Â Justin Simien, Dear White People (Roadside Attractions/ Lionsgate)
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John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): Land Ho! (Sony Pictures Classics)
Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens, Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy
Best Supporting Female: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood (IFC Films)
Best Supporting Male:Â J.K. Simmons, Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Female Lead:Â Julianne Moore, Still Alice (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Male Lead: Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Robert Altman Award:Â Inherent Vice (Warner Bros.)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, Casting Director: Cassandra Kulukundis, Ensemble Cast: Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Kenneth Williams.
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Best Cinematography:Â Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Best Editing: Tom Cross, Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best International Film: Ida (Poland – Music Box Films)
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Documentary:Â CITIZENFOUR (RADiUS-TWC / HBO Documentary Films / Participant Media)
Director: Laura Poitras; Producers: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky
Special Distinction Award: Foxcatcher (Sony Pictures Classics)
Director/Producer: Bennett Miller, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik, Writers: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman, Actors: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum
