With all the hoo-haa and fanfare of Oscar weekend, it’s easy to overlook t the Independent Spirit Awards, the Holy Grail of independent filmmaking, which took place on 23 February in Santa Monica, the night before the Oscars. “Juno’ was the big winner, with awards for best film, best actress (Ellen Page) and best original screenplay (new Oscar winner Diablo Cody).
Best director went to Julian Schnabel for the French language film, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’, which also won best cinematography. The Irish production “Once’ was best foreign film.
Philip Seymour Hoffman took home the best actor award for “The Savages’ and Chiwetel Ejiofor got the best supporting nod for “Talk to Me’. Cate Blanchett’s turn as Bob Dylan in “I’m not there’ won her the best supporting actress award.
Best screenplay was Tamara Jenkins’ “The Savages’, with “Crazy Love’ the best documentary and best first feature “The Lookout’.
