Winter's Bone went into the 2011 Film Independent's Spirit Awards as the most nominated film, with nominations in the Best Feature and Best Director categories as well as acting noms for Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, and Dale Dickey. And while the gritty drama did well - Hawkes and Dickey both picked up supporting acting honors - it was Black Swan that danced off with the most wins. The twisted tale of an obsessed ballerina collected awards including Best Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Actress (Natalie Portman). And Oscar host James Franco felt some love from the indie community as his performance as a mountain climber forced into cutting off his own arm in 127 Hours earned him the Best Actor award.
The 2011 Spirit Awards were held on February 26th and were were hosted by Joel McHale.
2010 Spirit Award Nominees and Winners
Best Feature
127 Hours
Greenberg
The Kids Are All Right
Winter's Bone
Winner: Black Swan
Best Director
Danny Boyle, 127 Hours
Lisa Cholodenko, The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik, Winter's Bone
John Cameron Mitchell, Rabbit Hole
Winner: Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
Best First Feature (Award given to the director and producer)
Everything Strange and New
The Last Exorcism
Night Catches Us
Tiny Furniture
Winner: Get Low
John Cassavetes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
The Exploding Girl
LBS
Lovers of Hate
Obselidea
Winner: Daddy Long Legs
Best Screenplay
Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini, Winter's Bone
Nicole Holofcener, Please Give
David Lindsay-Abaire, Rabbit Hole
Todd Solondz, Life During Wartime
Winner: Lisa Cholodonko and Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
Best First Screenplay
Diane Bell, Obselidia
Nik Fackler, Lovely, Still
Robert Glaudini, Jack Goes Boating
Dana Adam Shapiro and Evan M Wiener, Monogamy
Winner: Lena Dunham, Tiny Furniture
Best Female Lead
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Greta Gerwig, Greenberg
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
Winner: Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Best Male Lead
Ronald Bronstein, Daddy Longlegs
Aaron Eckhart, Rabbit Hole
John C Reilly, Cyrus
Ben Stiller, Greenberg
Winner: James Franco, 127 Hours
Best Supporting Female
Ashley Bell, The Last Exorcism
Allison Janney, Life During Wartime
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Jack Goes Boating
Naomi Watts, Mother and Child
Winner: Dale Dickey, Winter's Bone
Best Supporting Male
Samuel L Jackson, Mother and Child
Bill Murray, Get Low
John Ortiz, Jack Goes Boating
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Winner: John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
Best Cinematography
Adam Kimmel, Never Let Me Go
Jody Lee Lipes, Tiny Furniture
Michael McDonough, Winter's Bone
Harris Savides, Greenberg
Winner: Matthew Libatique, Black Swan
Best Documentary
Marwencol
Restrepo
Sweetgrass
Thunder Soul
Winner: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Best Foreign Film
Kisses
Mademoiselle Chambon
Of Gods and Men
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Winner: The King's Speech
Please Give - Directed by Nicole Holofcenter with casting director Jeanne McCarthy and starring Ann Guilbert, Rebecca Hall, Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Lois Smith, and Sarah Steele.
