’12 Years A Slave’ Receives Several Independent Spirit Award Nominations

12 Years a Slave recently received several Independent Spirit Award nominations.

Directed by Steve McQueen, the film tells the story of a free black man from New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841. In addition to receiving critical acclaim from several noted critics, the film is always a serious contender during the awards season.

According to the folks at Entertainment Weekly, 12 Years a Slave received no less than seven Independent Spirit Award nominations this year. However, director Alexander Payne’s dramedy Nebraska is hot on its heels with six.

In addition to getting a nod for Best Feature, Steven McQueen’s drama also received nominations for Best Lead Male, Best Supporting Female, Best Supporting Male, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. Fans can see how many trophies the flick receives on March 1, 2014.

Indiewire points out that All Is Lost, Frances Ha, and the Coen brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis also received nominations for best feature. 12 Years a Slave might have a shot at several honors, but it’s definitely up against some very strong competition.

Although Brad Pitt only appears in the flick for a total of eight minutes, he was very excited to sign on for the project. During a his chat with the Today show last month, Pitt had nothing but overwhelmingly positive things to say about Steve McQueen’s drama.

“It’s one of those few films that… cuts to the base of our humanity. And it was not until I saw Solomon Northup’s story that I fully, fully (grasped) the utter horror of losing your freedom or denying another one their freedom, taking their freedom, splitting their family apart. It’s why I got into film in the first place,” Pitt said.

He added, “I’m there to support the story. The main performances are Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, (Michael) Fassbender. These are such demanding parts. These guys had to keep themselves in just this perpetual state of angst and foreboding and longing.”

McQueen and company are no doubt hoping that the folks behind the Independent Spirit Awards feel as strongly about 12 Years a Slave as Brad Pitt.

Here’s a complete list of this year’s contenders.

Best Feature:
12 Years A Slave
All Is Lost
Frances Ha
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska

Best Female Lead:
Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Julie Delpy – Before Midnight
Gaby Hoffman – Crystal Fairy
Brie Larson – Short Term 12
Shailene Woodley – The Spectacular Now

Best Male Lead:
Bruce Dern – Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years A Slave
Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis
Michael B. Jordan – Fruitvale Station
Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford – All Is Lost

Best Supporting Female:
Melonie Diaz – Fruitvale Station
Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine
Lupita N’Yongo – 12 Years A Slave
Yolanda Ross – Go For Sisters
June Squibb – Nebraska

Best Supporting Male:
Michael Fassbender – 12 Years A Slave
Will Forte – Nebraska
James Gandolfini – Enough Said
Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club
Keith Stanfield – Short Term 12

Best Director:
Shane Carruth – Upstream Color
J.C. Chandor – All Is Lost
Steve McQueen – 12 Years A Slave
Jeff Nichols – Mud
Alexander Payne – Nebraska

Best First Feature:
Blue Caprice
Concussion
Fruitvale Station
Una Noche
Wadjda

John Cassavetes Award:
Computer Chess
Crystal Fairy
Museum Hours
Pit Stop
This Is Martin Bonner

Best Screenplay:
Woody Allen – Blue Jasmine
Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater – Before Midnight
Nicole Holofcener – Enough Said
Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber – The Spectacular Now
John Ridley – 12 Years A Slave

Best First Screenplay
Lake Bell – In A World
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Don Jon
Bob Nelson – Nebraska
Jill Soloway – Afternoon Delight
Michael Starburry – The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister & Pete

Best Cinematography
Sean Bobbitt – 12 Years A Slave
Benoit Debie – Spring Breakers
Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis
Frank G. Demarco – All Is Lost
Matthias Grunsky – Computer Chess

Best Editing:
Shane Carruth & David Lowery – Upstream Color
Jem Cohen & Marc Vives – Museum Hours
Jennifer Lame – Frances Ha
Cindy Lee – Una Noche
Nat Sanders – Short Term 12

Best International Film
A Touch Of Sin
Blue Is The Warmest Color
Gloria
The Great Beauty
The Hunt

Best Documentary
The Act Of Killing
After Tiller
Gideon’s Army
The Square
Twenty Feet From Stardom

Piaget Producers Award
Toby Halbrooks & James M. Johnson
Jacob Jaffke
Andrea Roa
Ferderick Thornton

Truer Than Fiction Awards:
Kalyanee Mam – A River Changes Course
Jason Osder – Let The Fire Burn
Stephanie Spray & Pancho Valez – Manakamana

Someone To Watch Awards:
Aaron Douglas Johnston – My Sisters’ Quinceanera
Shaka King – Newlyweeds
Madeleine Olnek – The Foxy Merkins

Robert Altman Award:
Mud

What did you think about director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave?