2014 Independent Spirit Awards Nominees Announced

This years awards season is now underway with one the first major ceremonies announcing their picks for the finest indie pictures of the last twelve months. Steve McQueen’s all-star slavery drama 12 YEARS A SLAVE and Alexander Payne’s personal journey NEBRASKA are the main players at the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards.

Everyone will have their favourites, and while there’s still quite a few on the list I’ve yet to catch, I’m pleased to see Alexandre Moor’s chilling biopic BLUE CAPRICE nominated for Best First Feature. Shame there is no consideration for its lead Isaiah Washington, who I thought was astonishing as the D.C. sniper John Muhammed.

The nominations have been announced and the full list of those vying for honours is as follows:

Best Feature

• 12 Years a Slave
• All Is Lost
• Frances Ha
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Nebraska

Best Director

• Shane Carruth – Upstream Color
• J.C. Chandor – All Is Lost
• Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave
• Jeff Nichols – Mud
• Alexander Payne – Nebraska 

Best Screenplay

• Woody Allen – Blue Jasmine
• Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, & Richard Linklater – Before Midnight
• Nicole Holofcener – Enough Said
• Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber – The Spectacular Now
• John Ridley – 12 Years a Slave 

Best Female Lead

• Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
• Julie Delpy – Before Midnight
• Gaby Hoffmann – Crystal Fairy
• Brie Larson – Short Term 12
• Shailene Woodley – The Spectacular Now 

Best Male Lead

• Bruce Dern – Nebraska
• Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
• Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis
• Michael B. Jordan – Fruitvale Station
• Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club
• Robert Redford – All Is Lost 

Best Supporting Female

• Melonie Diaz – Fruitvale Station
• Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine
• Lupita Nyong’O – 12 Years a Slave
• Yolanda Ross – Go for Sisters
• June Squibb – Nebraska 

Best Supporting Male

• Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave
• Will Forte – Nebraska
• James Gandolfini – Enough Said
• Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club
• Keith Stanfield – Short Term 12 

Best First Feature

• Blue Caprice
• Concussion
• Fruitvale Station
• Una Noche
• Wadjda

Best First Screenplay

• Lake Bell – In a World…
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Don Jon
• Bob Nelson – Nebraska
• Jill Soloway – Afternoon Delight
• Michael Starrbury – The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete

Best Cinematography

• Sean Bobbitt – 12 Years a Slave
• Benoit Debie – Spring Breakers
• Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis
• Frank G. Demarco – All Is Lost
• Matthias Grunsky – Computer Chess

Best Editing

• Shane Carruth and David Lowery – Upstream Color
• Jem Cohen and Marc Vives – Museum Hours
• Jennifer Lame – Frances Ha
• Cindy Lee – Una Noche
• Nat Sanders – Short Term 12

Best Documentary

• 20 Feet from Stardom
• After Tiller
• Gideon’s Army
• The Act of Killing
• The Square

Best International Film

• A Touch of Sin – China
• Blue Is the Warmest Color – France
• Gloria – Chile
• The Great Beauty – Italy
• The Hunt – Denmark 

Robert Altman Award for Ensemble

• Mud 

John Cassavetes Award for films made under $500,000

• Computer Chess
• Crystal Fairy
• Museum Hours
• Pit Stop
• This Is Martin Bonner

The Independent Spirit Awards will be hosted on 1st March 2014.