27th Independent Spirit Awards


The 27th Independent Spirit Awards announced their nominees on November 29, 2011. The winners were announced on February 25, 2012 during an awards ceremony hosted by Seth Rogen.

Winners and nominees

Best FeatureBest Director
The Artist
  • 50/50
  • Beginners
  • The Descendants
  • Drive
  • Take Shelter
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
  • Mike Mills - Beginners
  • Jeff Nichols - Take Shelter
  • Alexander Payne - The Descendants
  • Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive
    • Best Male LeadBest Female Lead
    Jean Dujardin - The Artist
  • Demián Bichir - A Better Life
  • Ryan Gosling - Drive
  • Woody Harrelson - Rampart
  • Michael Shannon - Take Shelter
    		• Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn
  • Lauren Ambrose - Think of Me
  • Rachael Harris - Natural Selection
  • Adepero Oduye - Pariah
  • Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene
    • Best Supporting MaleBest Supporting Female
    Christopher Plummer - Beginners
  • Albert Brooks - Drive
  • John Hawkes - Martha Marcy May Marlene
  • John C. Reilly - Cedar Rapids
  • Corey Stoll - Midnight in Paris
    		• Shailene Woodley - The Descendants
  • Jessica Chastain - Take Shelter
  • Anjelica Huston - 50/50
  • Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
  • Harmony Santana - Gun Hill Road
    • Best ScreenplayBest First Screenplay
    The Descendants - Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash
  • The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
  • Beginners - Mike Mills
  • Footnote - Joseph Cedar
  • Win Win - Tom McCarthy
    		• 50/50 - Will Reiser
  • Another Earth - Mike Cahill and Brit Marling
  • Cedar Rapids - Phil Johnston
  • Margin Call - J. C. Chandor
  • Terri - Patrick deWitt
    • Best First FeatureBest Documentary Feature
    Margin Call
  • Another Earth
  • In the Family
  • Martha Marcy May Marlene
  • Natural Selection
    		• The Interrupters
  • An African Election
  • Bill Cunningham New York
  • The Redemption of General Butt Naked
  • We Were Here
    • Best CinematographyBest International Film
    The Artist - Guillaume Schiffman
  • Bellflower - Joel Hodge
  • The Dynamiter - Jeffrey Waldron
  • Midnight in Paris - Darius Khondji
  • The Off Hours - Benjamin Kasulke
    		• A Separation • Iran
  • The Kid with a Bike • Belgium
  • Melancholia • Denmark
  • Shame • UK
  • Tyrannosaur • UK

    • Films with multiple nominations and awards

    AwardsFilm
    4The Artist
    2The Descendants
    2Margin Call

    Special awards

    [Independent Spirit [John Cassavetes Award|John Cassavetes Award]]

    Pariah
    Where Soldiers Come From
    Sophia Lin - Take Shelter
    Mark Jackson - Without