- Title: USA: INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS CEREMONY
- Date: 23rd March 1996
- Summary: KEVIN SPACEY ARRIVES NICOLAS CAGE ARRIVES, SAYS THERE ARE LESS PEOPLE BREATHING DOWN YOUR NECK SAYING YOU CANNOT DO THAT. I THINK THERE'S MORE OF A SPIRIT THAT SAYS LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A CHANCE AND YOU'RE VERY OFTEN ALLOWED TO DO THE ECCENTRIC, ORIGINAL KIND OF SCREENPLAY WHERE YOU CAN REALLY GROW AS AN ACTOR (ENGLISH) CHAZZ PALMINTERI ARRIVES, SAYS ALL ACTORS SHOULD KEEP THEIR HAND IN INDEPENDENT FILMS. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE WHO MAKE MOVIES WITH A PASSION, IT'S NOT ABOUT PUTTING ELEMENTS TOGETHER, IT'S NOT ABOUT PUTTING HOLLYWOOD STARS TOGETHER, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO SAY THEIR STORY ON THE SCREEN (ENGLISH) JIMMY SMITS ARRIVES, SAYS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INDEPENDENT AND STUDIO FILMS IS MONEY (SPANISH)
- Embargoed: 7th April 1996 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES AND FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment,Industry
- Reuters ID: LVA97IL4GVE611JV0KKUS4750LQI
- Story Text: While Los Angeles was consumed with Oscars fever, Santa Monica dished out its own awards on Saturday (March 23), the annual Independent Spirit Awards.
With just as many stars attending as its more famous rival, the ceremony is considered the premier event in the independent film community.
The Spirit Awards were set up to recognise exceptional efforts and reward visionary filmmaking.
Big winners this year were "Leaving Las Vegas" which received Best Feature, Best Director for Mike Figgis, Best Actress for Elisabeth Shu and Best Cinematography honors.
"The Ususal Suspects" also scored highly, winning an award for Best Supporting Actor for Benicio Del Toro and Best Screenplay.
Other winners included Sean Penn as Best Actor for his role in "Dead Man Walking," the film that clinched an Oscar for Susan Sarandon for Best Actress.
Mare Winningham was awarded Best Supporting Actress for "Georgia".
"The Brothers McMullen" won Best First Feature for director Edward Burns.
Oscar-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson hosted the ceremony, which included a special tribute to director Sam Fuller, a man who made films in an independent spirit throughout the 1950's, at the height of the studio system.
"An independent film tends to be a film that is created and financed by a film-maker who couldn't get studio backing who is trying to do a labour of love," Jackson said.
Actor Rod Steiger said the budgets on studio movies was so staggering, producers were afraid of doing something different and risk losing their money.
"The independents are the ones that bring the majority of good taste to films," he said.
With seven thousand members, the Independent Feature Project which handed out the awards is one of the largest non-profit membership organizations supporting the development, production and distribution of quality American independent films in the United States. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
