This is going to be a bit rushed, and maybe even incoherent, but ...
In what can only be considered an attempt to be known as the organization that kicks off the annual film awards season, IFP (the Independent Film Project) has made December 1 "IFP day." At least, that's my impression with the announcement of the nominations of the 20th IFP Independent Spirit Awards occuring the same day as tonight's IFP Gotham Awards.
Don't get me wrong: I love the IFP, and I've been a member for the last 4 years or so. One of my first ever experiences covering the film world, way back during my days at the UCLA Daily Bruin, was attending the IFP Spirit Awards. That would have been around 1991 or so, when the "Indie Oscars" had no TV broadcast (now they're shown live on IFC and tape delayed on Bravo), minimal production value and took place under a tent in the parking lot of Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, as opposed to in a much larger tent on the beach in Santa Monica.
The IFP used to actually be several smaller organizations established to help independent, no-budget filmmakers get their movies made. They were localized by region, with New York's IFP and L.A.'s IFP/West being the two largest. While those regional distinctions still exist, and a membership in one is not a membership in all, a couple years ago the organization chose to become more nationally integrated.
What does any of this have to do with anything? Not much, I suppose. Except that tonight are the annual Gotham Awards, traditionally the IFP's (Eastern version) annual ceremony honoring important people involved in or supporting New York independent film. Those awards have always been in September, until this year when they have also added more competitive categories.
But the IFP Spirit Awards, always the IFP/West's domain and traditionally held the day before the Oscars, are the big ones for the organization and the industry as a whole. And while I'm sure I just wasn't paying attention, this morning -- oh look, the same day as the Gothams -- the IFP announced the nominations for this year's awards. (You can download the press release as a .pdf file too.)
Often the most difficult part of analyzing the nominations (which are chosen by a select committee of members of the film industry and critics) is figuring out how the IFP decided on what films of the year were considered "independent." This year is no exception. For example, simply being released by Focus Features doesn't make a film Spirit Award eligible -- at least I assume that's the case because why else would the best film of the year overall (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) receive not one nomination? Meanwhile, the Fox Searchlight Pictures release of Alexander Payne's latest Sideways (which I still need to see) and the HBO Films produced/Fine Line distributed Maria Full of Grace (a wonderful film) led the nomination tallies with six and five, respectively.
Still, the nominees overall look like a relatively worthy bunch (not always the case), and I'll come back to talk about them more when I have a bit more time. I definitely look forward to seeing the films I missed this year, and thankfully, as an IFP member, I get the opportunity to do so at screenings in January and February. You see, membership has its priviledges, and in a way, it pays for itself.
More later ...
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