With their windswept beachside location and their no-black-tie dress code, the Independent Spirit Awards are as much the anti-Oscars as the independent filmmaking is a world apart from mainstream studio films.
Still, there was no shortage of star wattage and Hollywood glamour as the presenters and attendees descended on Santa Monica to celebrate the spirit of maverick filmmaking–especially if the indie beats the odds to become a critical and commercial success like Sideways, which swept all six categories in which it was nominated including best film, best director, best screenplay, best actor, best actress and best supporting actor.
Nothing to Wine About
“I spent about 17 years doing independent films, and I know how hard it is to get a film made, and I know how hard it is to get a film seen,” Virginia Madsen, who received the trophy for Best Actress, told reporters backstage. “I think everybody in that room there knows what it’s like to practically give your blood for a movie and then no one ever sees it. Thankfully, with Fox Searchlight backing this film, we’re one of the few that actually got seen.”
Madsen brought her ten-year-old son Jack with her, promising him the award for all his patience with her over the years she sometimes struggled as an actress. “There were some times that Jack saw or heard things with his mom kind of having a hard time that I wish he hadn’t seen, but he’s been so supportive,” the actress said. “I’m happy I’ve spent most of his ten years with him, but along with that was kind of a struggle of not working too much. And he’s a good boy, so I give this award to him.”
“You’re a good mom,” replied Jack, patting his mother’s blonde hair.
Best actor winner Paul Giamatti said while he was pleased to receive the award, he didn’t see it as vindication for being overlooked in the Oscar nominations, “I didn’t feel snubbed or anything like that, no, but it’s a nice thing to get,” said Giamatti, who said he’s receiving more leading man-type offers since the success of the film. “There’s more of that kind of thing coming in, definitely. Which is nice.”
The actor plans to maintain a steady balance of indie and mainstream projects. “I’ll go wherever somebody would like to employ me in something that’s interesting. We’ll see what happens. I don’t really discriminate too much.”
Thomas Haden Church, who was named best supporting actor, said his award “takes some of the pressure off of winning [an Oscar]. This is really a tremendous honor. I’ve done so many independent films that never saw the light of day – they didn’t have the support, and this is just a remarkable thing.” The former sitcom star said the acclaim from the film “certainly has elevated my profile, but the key is to follow Sideways up with something that honors Sideways. I don’t want to do anything that is desultory or irresponsible. I want to make sure that everything I do is very carefully chosen.”
Sideways collected trophies for its director Alexander Payne, again for Payne and his co-writer Jim Taylor, and for producer Michael London. To a person, the entire Sideways team was sanguine about their film’s Oscar night chances, each saying they were just thrilled to be included in the evening (although most admitted to high hopes that Payne and Taylor would nab the adapted screenplay award.
“Our film probably cost a good $20-30 million less than any of the other films nominated,” Madsen pointed out. “So it’s kind of a miracle that we’re even there to begin with. I mean, us?”
The evening’s other major acting honoree, Maria Full of Grace star Catalina Sandino Moreno, told reporters that she was enjoying seeing the day through the eyes of her family. “They want to see stars,” she explained. “When they saw Elijah Wood, they were like ‘Oh my God! Frodo!’ Robin Williams was there and they were so stunned. They were like ‘Catalina, I want a picture with them–you have to tell them they have to take a picture with us.'”
Moreno said the laid-back vibe of the awards erased any nerves. “I am very relaxed today. I think the clothes helped. Some pants and some comfortable shoes. That’s the cool thing about the Independent Spirit Awards–it’s so cool and the energy’s so great. I feel calm today. I don’t know about tomorrow, but today I feel very relaxed.”
On her Oscar chances, the actress also seemed just pleased to be invited to the party. “It means so much to me. My life changed in one day when [writer-director] Josh [Marston] told me I was going to be Maria. So I am not going to worry about the future. I’m just worried about the present–and I’m not worried, I’m just excited.”
Other winners included Garden State‘s Zach Braff for best first feature, The Motorcycle Diaries‘ Rodrigo De La Serna for best debut performance, and Maria Full of Grace‘s Josh Marston for best first screenplay.
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Speaking of Oscar
Another Oscar nominee, Kinsey‘s Laura Linney, who served as a presenter, told Hollywood.com that the Spirit awards were a decidedly different experience, “They just have a totally different vibe,” Linney explained. “This one–just the location says a lot about the ceremony’s all about. It’s on the beach, it’s in a tent, your hair’s blowing in the breeze a little bit. And the Oscars are a more glamorous event. I don’t think anyone can be prepared when you go. You just try and experience it in the best possible way.”
She said she had no idea how she’d react if her name was called. “I’ve never experienced that, so who knows what’s that like?”
Linney was checking out the backstage Presenters Gift Lounge, where the celebrities were escorted through a tent chock full o’ goodies (including the three month use of a Vespa scooter). After hugging another Academy Award nominee, Hotel Rwanda‘s Don Cheadle, Regina King told me her loyalties were divided between Cheadle and her more clear favorite, her Ray co-star Jamie Foxx, in the Best Actor race.
“I have been such a big fan of Don Cheadle‘s for years,” said King. “He’s been on my wish list for a least a good ten years now. It’s long overdue. I want to work with him so bad. SO bad. It would be great for us–all of us who respect each other’s work, that’s we love to do, be able to get together and work out.” And King said she wouldn’t be able to stay in her seat if either of her guys won: “Of course I’m going to jump up! I’m gonna cry, I’m gonna shout, all that good stuff!”
Effervescent Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose boyfriend Peter Sarsgaard was an ISA nominee, said she’s be joining her actor sibling Jake on Academy Awards night. “My brother’s presenting and he asked me to be his date,” she revealed, revealing that she picked her fashion on her own. “He gave me a day’s notice and I did all of it myself, and I realized ‘Okay, this is why people have stylists.’ I got the dress, I got the shoes, I got the bag, I got everything myself. I’m still working on a pair of earrings I want. It’s fun but it’s a lot of work to do it by yourself.”
Although not the fashion runway that the Oscars are, the Spirit Awards also had the stars choosing more casually chic ensembles. Gyllenhaal was in a gorgeous turquoise dress designed by actress Milla Jovovich with matching jewels from Kaviar & Kind, the shop run by Mark Ruffalo‘s wife, Sunrise. Linney was classically Prada-clad, while King wore a Hugo Boss shirt and jeans with Stuart Weitzman shoes. Presenter Marisa Tomei wore a skimpy, cleavage-revealing Roberto Cavalli dress; Maria Bello matched her Latin-inspired ensemble from Los Angeles’ Olvera Street with her mother’s 1960 sweater. Kate Bosworth shimmered in a gold and peach flapper-style slip dress from Chloe.
Cate Blanchett was a bit more mysterious: when asked who put together her stylish, cutting edge ensemble, she proudly and simply proclaimed “Me!” Among the men, the sharpest dresser had to be show host Samuel L. Jackson, in a silvery Armani and lavender Kangol hat.
Independent Minded
Badassss! father-and-son team of Melvin and Mario Van Peebles arrived in identical outfits comprised of navy pinstripe suits, tennis shoes and jaunty, tilted fedoras. Melvin tried to convince me that it was just a coincidence–“It’s in the genes–but Mario had a better explanation: “We just got back from Sundance, and this is called ‘Early Sundance Swag.’ It’s recycled, and fits the tenant of the independent filmmakers: ‘Thou Shalt Not Buy New Gear. Thou Shalt Save It for Thy Next Film.’ These are the first two rues of the ten-point program that my dad taught me about independent filmmaking.”
Asked if his film’s success had led to offers from the more mainstream side of the industry, Mario laughed. “I’m still looking for the right opportunity to sell out! But then to come back and do one for us, so I can afford to come back and drive over here again. But honestly, I’ll do what my heart says.”
Ironically, indie acclaim doesn’t always result in a big career boost. Loretta Devine said her professional fortunes hadn’t risen since her supporting actress nomination for Woman Thou Art Loosed. “Not a thing yet!” she laughed. “I’m back on the block. I went to a cattle call yesterday and I thought, ‘Oh God, after 50 films, come on, somebody!’ But just being a part of this, I feel really special. I never get invited to this stuff. This is like A-list stuff.”
Indeed, most of the newer faces, like Robbing Peter‘s supporting actress nominee Robin Simmons, were happy to be included. “I’m not nervous–I’m just trying to enjoy this and take it all in,” said Simmons, who had a list of actors she hoped to meet during the day. “Cate Blanchett, of course. There’s so many: Kevin Bacon, Samuel L. Jackson. I met Quentin Tarantino, who is a fabulous man–Oh my God, he’s so fun to talk to. His mind goes like a racehorse.”
Tarantino, ever the uber-film fan, waxed rhapsodic about the independent films that stoked his fires, “My favorite indie films of this year were Shaun of the Dead and Before Sunset,” he told Hollywood.com. Another director, Finding Neverland‘s Marc Forster, said even after his independent success with Monster’s Ball, he still had to prove himself and his diversity to the film world. “It just really opened up the door,” said Forster. “Monster’s Ball was very different, and people put me in a corner and [Finding Neverland] sort of gave out a different view of what I can do.”
David Duchovny, whose self-penned, self-directed indie House of D debuts in April, said despite his eventual mainstream acclaim he enjoyed a long history of laboring in the independent world. “I started out making independent film before it was hip, when it so independent that nobody was talking about them or went to see them. New Year’s Day—Henry Jaglom makes independent film after independent film. I made a film called Julia Has Two Lovers, which we shot for no, no money at all, and it got worldwide distribution. So that was crazy and fun, and I’ve always been a fan.”
The actor said Hollywood celebrity has definitely become a selling point, helping films get made. “I didn’t have any notoriety when I made those other movies, but in terms of House of D, for sure. And Robin Williams is also in it, and his notoriety helped as well”
Williams also came out to support the scrappy filmmakers at their celebration, joined by other big names, including Jodie Foster, Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Sandra Oh, Elijah Wood, Selma Blair, Roger Ebert, Gael Garcia Bernal, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeff Bridges, Robin Wright Penn, Jennifer Tilly, Liev Schreiber, Julie Delpy, Aidan Quinn, Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Trachtenberg and past host John Waters.
Star power aside, the Independent Spirit Awards were firmly focused on acknowledging the talent pool emerging outside the studio system. “The main way my life’s changed is that a whole bunch of doors have opened that have enabled the possibility of making the next movie,” said Maria Full of Grace‘s Marston. “And at the end of the day, what any filmmaker hopes for most is the chance to go out there and do it again.”
