'The Artist' and 'Take Shelter' Lead the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations

 Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards this morning.  Anthony Mackie and Kate Beckinsale served as presenters.
 Winners will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 25, 2012. .

The full list of nominees:

BEST FEATURE (Award given to the Producer)

• 50/50
• Beginners
• Drive
• Take Shelter
• The Artist
• The Descendants

BEST DIRECTOR

• Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
• Mike Mills (Beginners)
• Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter)
• Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
• Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive)

BEST SCREENPLAY

• Joseph Cedar (Footnote)
• Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
• Tom McCarthy (Win Win)
• Mike Mills (Beginners)
• Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash (The Descendants)

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)

• Another Earth
• In the Family
• Margin Call
• Martha Marcy May Marlene
• Natural Selection

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

• Mike Cahill, Brit Marling (Another Earth)
• J.C. Chandor (Margin Call)
• Patrick deWitt (Terri)
• Phil Johnston (Cedar Rapids)
• Will Reiser (50/50)

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director, and producer.

• Bellflower
• Circumstance
• Hello Lonesome
• Pariah
• The Dynamiter

BEST MALE LEAD

• Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
• Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
• Ryan Gosling (Drive)
• Woody Harrelson (Rampart)
• Michael Shannon (Take Shelter)

BEST FEMALE LEAD

• Lauren Ambrose (Think of Me)
• Rachael Harris (Natural Selection)
• Adepero Oduye (Pariah)
• Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene)
• Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

• Jessica Chastain (Take Shelter)
• Anjelica Huston (50/50)
• Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
• Harmony Santana (Gun Hill Road)
• Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

• Albert Brooks (Drive)
• John Hawkes (Martha Marcy May Marlene)
• Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
• John C. Reilly (Cedar Rapids)
• Corey Stoll (Midnight in Paris)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Joel Hodge (Bellflower)
• Benjamin Kasulke (The Off Hours)
• Darius Khondji (Midnight in Paris)
• Guillaume Schiffman (The Artist)
• Jeffrey Waldron (The Dynamiter)

BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)

• An African Election
• Bill Cunningham
• The Interrupters
• The Redemption of General Butt Naked
• We Were Here

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)

• A Separation (Iran)
• Melancholia (Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany)
• Shame (UK)
• The Kid With a Bike (Belgium/France/Italy)
• Tyrannosaur (UK)

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 15th annual Piaget Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

• Chad Burris (Mosquita y Mari)
• Sophia Lin (Take Shelter)
• Josh Mond (Martha Marcy May Marlene)

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 18th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

• Simon Arthur (Silver Tongues)
• Mark Jackson (Without)
• Nicholas Ozeki (Mamitas)

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 17th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

• Heather Courtney (Where Soldiers Come From)
• Danfung Dennis (Hell and Back Again)
• Alma Har'el (Bombay Beach)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film's director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)

• Margin Call Director: J.C. Chandor
  Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
  Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci