We were on the scene at the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards!
The 35th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards took place on a shockingly foggy Santa Monica morning, only a short beach walk away from the pier. Despite the blue hues giving the carpet a familiar feeling of a Big Little Lies episode, the day still started off strong.
Madeline Olnek spoke to The Knockturnal about the importance of recognizing women in film. Starring Molly Shannon, Wild Nights With Emily, is a hilarious women empowerment approach to Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Olnek is the genius behind the flick and has known Shannon for years. Olnek also details that the John Cassavettes Award (the one in which they are nominated for) is honored to those who embrace their uniqueness as the award supports the “truly independent outside of the system film.”
When it comes to spreading awareness to successful independent filmmaking on a low budget, Olnek spoke about how making a movie on less funding does not mean sacrificing the quality of the film. Turning the conversation to how low budget films are an important opportunity for women in the entertainment industry, Olnek touches on the opportunity it gives for female directors specifically. However, according to Olnek, the idea that female directors rarely exist in the role of director is untrue.
“When people say there aren’t a lot of women directors… There’s a ton of women directors.”
“There’s this terrible idea that black people are prone to violence,” Stefon Bristol said.
“Anytime there’s a victim of police brutality, there’s some kind of blemish that the media will tell, like, ‘oh he deserves this because he sold weed…’ or ‘…he robbed a bodega!’ Whatever… that’s never the case. That doesn’t mean they deserve to be killed and shot.”
“I felt like a rookie. I absorbed a lot and I learned a lot,” Bowers said.
“It’s special to have the opportunity to share that story in a voice that is very far from the spotlight.”
Here is the complete list of winners at the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards
Best Feature:
The Farewell (A24)
Producers: Anita Gou, Daniele Melia, Andrew Miano, Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub, Lulu Wang, Chris Weitz, Jane Zheng
Best Director:
Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie, Uncut Gems (A24)
Best Screenplay:
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story (Netflix)
Best First Feature:
Booksmart (Annapurna Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
Director: Olivia Wilde
Producers: Chelsea Barnard, David Distenfeld, Jessica Elbaum, Megan Ellison,
Katie Silberman
Best First Screenplay:
Fredrica Bailey & Stefon Bristol, See You Yesterday (Netflix)
John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000):
Give Me Liberty (Music Box Films)
Writer/Director/Producer: Kirill Mikhanovsky
Writer/Producer: Alice Austen
Producers: Val Abel, Wally Hall, Michael Manasseri, George Rush, Sergey Shtern
Best Supporting Female:
Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell (A24)
Best Supporting Male:
Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse (A24)
Best Female Lead:
Renée Zellweger, Judy (Roadside Attractions)
Best Male Lead:
Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems (A24)
Robert Altman Award:
Marriage Story (Netflix)
Director: Noah Baumbach
Casting Directors: Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler
Ensemble Cast: Alan Alda, Laura Dern, Adam Driver, Julie Hagerty, Scarlett Johansson, Ray Liotta, Azhy Robertson, Merritt Wever
Best Cinematography:
Jarin Blaschke, The Lighthouse (A24)
Best Editing:
Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems (A24)
Best International Film:
Parasite (South Korea—Neon)
Director: Bong Joon-Ho
Best Documentary:
American Factory (Netflix)
Director/Producer: Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert
Producers: Julie Parker Benello, Jeff Reichert
Aubrey Plaza hosted the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards, which were televised live on IFC. Check out our coverage below!