Press Release from Film Independent

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations this morning for the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Nominees for Best Feature include (500) Days Of Summer, Amreeka, Precious, Sin Nombre and The Last Station.  Taraji P. Henson and Matt Dillon also announced finalists for the Acura Someone to Watch Award, the Truer Than Fiction Award, and the Piaget Producers Award.

A Serious Man was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast.

"It's astonishing to look back upon the wealth of fresh and diverse filmmaking talent that has been nominated over the past 25 years," said Film Independent's Executive Director Dawn Hudson.  "This year's nominees continue to uphold that independent spirit, and have created exceptional work that we are proud to spotlight and celebrate."

"It is exciting to be able to recognize this diverse group of filmmakers, who despite the challenging times, continue to create meaningful and original work," said Stephanie Allain, Chair of the American Narrative Feature Nominating Committee.

Selected from 240 submissions, this year's winners will be unveiled at a late-night celebration on Friday, March 5, 2010, at LA Live's panoramic event deck in downtown Los Angeles.  The 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony will air live and uncut on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. PST/11:00 p.m. EST on IFC (Independent Film Channel).  Premier Sponsors IFC, ELLE, Piaget, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Acura, Stella Artois and Principal Sponsor Netflix sponsor this year's event. American Airlines is the Official Airline Partner and On3 Productions is the Official Presenter Gift Lounge Producer.  Wire Image is the Official Photographer and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent.

On Wednesday, March 3, a selection of Spirit Award nominees will discuss their films and their craft at Film Independent's Directors Close-Up, a 5-week series that features conversations with directors and their collaborators.

The Spirit Awards Nominating Committee applies uniqueness of vision, original & provocative subject matter, economy of means (with particular attention paid to total production cost & individual compensation), and percentage of financing from independent sources as guidelines when making its selections. The Committee was composed of the following sub-committees:

The 14-person American Narrative Nominating Committee included Chair, producer Stephanie Allain; producers, Nina Jacobson, Gail Mutrux, Heather Rae; writer/director Mora Stephens; writer/director/producer Larry Karaszewski; director John Singleton; actors Melonie Diaz, S. Epatha Merkerson, Andre Royo; casting director Jeanne McCarthy; film critic Elvis Mitchell playwright; Bernard Weinraub; and Los Angeles Film Festival Artistic Director David Ansen.

The 8-person Documentary Feature Nominating Committee included Co-Chairs, film marketing veteran Laura Kim and Toronto International Film Festival documentary programmer Thom Powers; filmmakers Scott Kennedy, Marina Zenovich, Patrick Creadon, Stefan Forbes; cinematographer Ellen Kuras; and producer Chiemi Karasawa.

The 8-person Foreign Feature Nominating Committee included Chair, writer/director/producer Mary Sweeney; writer/directors Goran Dukic, Neil LaBute, Kasi Lemmons; past Director of the UCLA Film & Television Archive, Tim Kittleson; Sidney Kimmel Entertainment President of Creative Affairs, Bingham Ray; San

Francisco Film Society Director of Programming, Rachel Rosen; and Los Angeles Times Film Critic Kenneth Turan.

The 5-person Acura Someone to Watch Nominating Committee included Chair, filmmaker and Austin Film Society's Director of Artist Series, Bryan Poyser; filmmakers Rodney Evans, Barry Jenkins; Denver Post Film Critic Lisa Kennedy; and festival programmer Mike Plante.

The 5-person Truer Than Fiction Nominating Committee included Chair, filmmaker AJ Schnack; filmmakers Thomas Allen Harris, Darius Marder, Laura Poitras; and Sundance Institute's Director of Documentary Film Program, Cara Mertes.