The Film Independent Spirit Awards have given three $25,000 cash grants to emerging filmmakers Sarah Winshall, Rachel Elizabeth Seed and Sarah Friedland at its annual Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees Brunch, which took place on Saturday at Casa Del Mara in Santa Monica. Karen Pittman hosted.
Nominations in the three categories, the only Indie Spirit Award categories that offer cash prizes rather than trophies, were announced with the rest of the Indie Spirit nominations on Dec. 5, but the winners are revealed in advance of the Feb. 25 ceremony.
Winshall received the Producers Award, which is given to an emerging producer working with limited resources. Friedland was given the Someone to Watch Award, which salutes “a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.” And Seed received the Truer Than Fiction Award, which goes to an emerging director of nonfiction features.
The annual Nominees Brunch is typically a festive event that takes place not far from the beach where the Indie Spirit Awards are held in a tent. This year’s brunch, though, was more somber than usual, coming only four days after the death of longtime Film Independent president Josh Welsh, who died on Dec. 31 after a five-year battle with colon cancer.
Welsh had headed Film Independent since 2012 and was an enormously popular figure in the independent film community. Normally, he would have delivered opening remarks welcoming everyone to the brunch, but this year that speech became a tribute to Welsh himself.
In intro remarks, Brenda Robinson from Film Independent called Welsh “our friend and fierce advocate” and spoke of “overwhelming grief but also love.” To a teary audience, she continued, “He was so excited about this brunch. This was one of his favorite things.” She added that he was planning to attend even in ill health: “He was meant to be an example today of what it means to persevere.” There was a long round of applause for Welsh.
Here is the list of nominees and winners:
PRODUCERS AWARD presented by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey – The Producers Award, now in its 28th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films.
Alex Coco
Sarah Winshall ** WINNER
Zoë Worth
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 31st year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.
Nicholas Colia
Director of “Griffin in Summer”
Sarah Friedland ** WINNER
Director of “Familiar Touch”
Pham Thien An
Director of “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell”
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 29th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.
Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie
Directors of “Sugarcane”
Carla Gutiérrez
Director of “Frida”
Rachel Elizabeth Seed ** WINNER
Director of “A Photographic Memory”
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