Independent Spirit Awards 2012 Nominees Have Been Announced

The nominees for the 2012 Independent Spirit Awards have been announced, according to Moviefone.

The critically acclaimed motion pictures Moonrise Kingdom and Silver Linings Playbook received five nominations a piece. Both films are in the running for best picture at this year’s awards ceremony. The films were also nominated for best direction and best screenplay.

Also counted among the nominees at this year’s Independent Spirit Awards is Lincoln Lawyer star Matthew McConaughey. The actor picked up two nominations for his work in William Friedkin’s disturbingly amusing Killer Joe and the Channing Tatum stripper flick Magic Mike.

Surprisingly, actor Jack Black was nominated for the criminally ignored black comedy Bernie. Directed by School of Rock filmmaker Richard Linklater, the film tells the story of a local mortician who befriends a testy widow. The film, which also stars Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey, is currently available on Netflix streaming.

Sam Rockwell, Bruce Willis, Helen Hunt, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jennifer Lawrence are among the many talented actors and actresses who also received nominations.

In addition to Moonrise Kingdom and Silver Linings Playbook, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Richard Linklater’s Bernie, and Keep the Lights On were nominated for best feature. According to The Inquirer, Julia Loktev, Ira Sachs, Benh Zeitlin snagged best director nominations.

The Independent Spirit Awards are designed to honor the films that aren’t fueled by huge Hollywood budgets. While most of these movies are considered to be outside the mainstream, many of the features nominated at this awards ceremony are often tapped for Academy Awards as well.

A complete list of nominees has been included below.

Best Feature
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Bernie
Keep the Lights On
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook

Best Director
Wes Anderson – Moonrise Kingdom
Julia Loktev – The Loneliest Planet
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs – Keep the Lights On
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Screenplay
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola – Moonrise Kingdom
Zoe Kazan – Ruby Sparks
Martin McDonagh – Seven Psychopaths
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs – Keep the Lights On

Best First Feature
Fill the Void – Director: Rama Burshtein
Gimme the Loot – Director: Adam Leon
Safety Not Guaranteed – Director: Colin Trevorrow
Sound of My Voice – Director: Zal Batmanglij,
The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Director: Stephen Chbosky

Best First Screenplay
Rama Burshtein – Fill the Void
Derek Connolly – Safety Not Guaranteed
Christopher Ford – Robot & Frank
Rashida Jones & Will McCormack – Celeste and Jesse Forever
Jonathan Lisecki – Gayby

Best Female Lead
Linda Cardellini – Return
Emayatzy Corinealdi – Middle of Nowhere
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhané Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Mary Elizabeth Winstead – Smashed

Best Male Lead
Jack Black – Bernie
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
John Hawkes – The Sessions
Thure Lindhardt – Keep the Lights On
Matthew McConaughey – Killer Joe
Wendell Pierce – Four

Best Supporting Female
Rosemarie DeWitt – Your Sister’s Sister
Ann Dowd – Compliance
Helen Hunt – The Sessions
Brit Marling – Sound of My Voice
Lorraine Toussaint – Middle of Nowhere

Best Supporting Male
Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike
David Oyelowo – Middle of Nowhere
Michael Péna – End of Watch
Sam Rockwell – Seven Psychopaths
Bruce Willis – Moonrise Kingdom

Best Documentary
How to Survive a Plague
Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present
The Central Park Five
The Invisible War
The Waiting Room

Best International Film
Amour (France) Director: Michael Haneke
Once Upon A Time in Anatolia (Turkey) Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Rust And Bone (France/Belgium) Director: Jacques Audiard
Sister (Switzerland)” – Director: Ursula Meier
War Witch (Democratic Republic of Congo)” – Director: Kim Nguyen

What do you think about this year’s Independent Spirit Award nominees?