The Independent Spirit Awards vs. The Oscars...

[bliss_eternal]

To be honest, I almost missed the Oscars. I was so satisfied with the Independent Spirit Awards, I almost forgot about the Oscars. Also, the Oscars aired earlier than usual. But I really do enjoy the Indies, which seem to almost always honor films that strike cords for humanity...

From about.com:

Honoring Independent Films Released in 2005
Film Independent's 2006 Independent Spirit Awards were held - as usual - in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. The award show which bills itself as the coolest of the bunch attracted lots of big names from the world of indie films, including a lot of Oscar nominees.
The last major award show before the Academy Awards pretty much toed the line when it came to handing out the big trophies. "Brokeback Mountain" took home the Best Feature award and director Ang Lee scored the Best Director trophy.

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINEES/WINNERS

BEST FEATURE:
Winner: "Brokeback Mountain"
the other nominees were:

"Capote"
"Good Night, and Good Luck"
"The Squid and the Whale"
"The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada"

BEST DIRECTOR:
Winner: Ang Lee - "Brokeback Mountain"
the other nominees were:

George Clooney - "Good Night, and Good Luck"
Gregg Araki - "Mysterious Skin"
Rodrigo Garcia - "Nine Lives"
Noah Baumbach - "The Squid and the Whale"

BEST SCREENPLAY:
Winner: "Capote" - Writer: Dan Futterman
the other nominees were:

"The War Within" - Writers: Ayad Akhtar, Joseph Castelo, Tom Glynn
"The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" - Writer: Guillermo Arriaga
"The Squid and the Whale" - Writer: Noah Baumbach
"Nine Lives" - Writer: Rodrigo Garcia

BEST FIRST FEATURE:
Winner: "Crash" - Director: Paul Haggis, Producers: Cathy Schulman, Don Cheadle, Bob Yari, Mark R Harris, Bobby Moresco, Paul Haggis
the other nominees were:

"Lackawanna Blues" - Director: George C Wolfe, Producer: Nellie Nugiel
"Me and You and Everyone We Know" - Director: Miranda July, Producer: Gina Kwon
"Thumbsucker" - Director: Mike Mills, Producers: Anthony Bregman, Bob Stephenson
"Transamerica" - Director: Duncan Tucker, Producers: Rene Bastian, Sebastian Dungan, Linda Moran

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY:
Winner: "Transamerica" - Writer: Duncan Tucker
the other nominees were:

"Fixing Frank" - Writer: Kenneth Hanes
"Me and You and Everyone We Know" - Writer: Miranda July
"Junebug" - Writer: Angus MacLachlan
"The Beautiful Country" - Writer: Sabina Murray

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD: (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
Winner: "Conventioneers"
"Brick"
"Jellysmoke"
"The Puffy Chair"


taken from:
http://movies.about.com/od/awards/a/indie2005112905.htm

While it still sucks that The Academy Awards are the way they are, I take a great deal of pleasure in the Independent Spirit Awards.

Which of course is not to say that outrage, disappointment and anger aren't appropriate feelings in regard to the way Brokeback was treated by the Academy Awards. I understand these feelings. Feel and vent away!

I just hoped to share the ray of hope that the indies give me to others here...:hug:

[JackBeck]

1. The ISA's were fun to watch, too.

No commercials.

My favorite naughty girl Sarah Silverman hosted.

Uncensored (except for something in Sarah Silverman's opening monologue, for whatever reason).

[bliss_eternal]

2. Sarah made me laugh...

She's so silly! :rofl:

I love that the show is so casual. No one is wearing couture. No catty comments from stylists after the show about how frumpy this one looked or how unkempt that one was. They reward people for being the opposite of the Oscars--I love that...

I used to live for the Oscars. In recent years, I've become so bored by them and other award shows. I'm sick of all the fuss made over what happens on the red carpet. All the excess of the glamour, glitz and gifts for the celebs...just nauseating.

Had Jon Stewart not been hosting, I don't know that I would have watched.

[xchrom]

3. love the isas

[bliss_eternal]

5. They are so satisfying.

It was hard to not let their awards stand as the only opinion that mattered to me. I had a feelng the Oscars would go the opposite way...

[xchrom]

7. i wish i could get the fashion glamour of the oscars

with the indepedant/alternative emotion that the isas give.

i've always felt that as hollywood pulled away from the old school -- they would embrace the alternative community they are.

the whole industry is built on fantasy -- so live it out.

[bliss_eternal]

8. Good points...

:hi:

[katty]

4. live in SM,Ca and they are always a cool bunch

[bliss_eternal]

6. Do they attend w/all the limos?

I've wondered if they back up traffic the way the Oscars do. They seem like a cool group. I missed Samuel Jackson a bit this year, but Sarah was fun!

[ripple]

9. The awards were great

but I'm also a big fan of IFC in general. Great indie films, progressive politically. Can't go wrong. ;-)

[terrya]

10. I forgot they were on!

I've seen them once...the year "Far From Heaven" won Best Feature, Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid won for their performances, Todd Haynes won Best Director.

The Indepdent Spirit Awards do highlight films that Oscar omits. It's a more relaxed affair...none of the usual celebrities (John Waters hosted that year)

Damn...I'm sorry I missed them this year.

[bliss_eternal]

11. I think they re-air...

possibly on Bravo, edited and with commercials of course. Also check IFC website, they may have a schedule too.
Sorry that you missed it! :(

[swimmernsecretsea]

12. Uh-oh.

This is one of those moments where I wished I had a Tivo. I've been seeing it replay on Bravo. I'll have to check the listings now.

[terrya]

13. Thank you

I think they do re-air.

Thanks for the info. I'll catch the re-run. :-)

[bliss_eternal]

14. No problem!

:hi: Enjoy the show when you see it!