2018 Independent Spirit Awards Nominations: Snubs & Surprises

The 2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were unveiled today, and as it always goes, there were some surprises and snubs. However, before I get too far along, here’s quick reminder about one of the official eligibility requirements for the competing movies. It will be useful information for one of the biggest snubs that people are talking about:

…we are only considering films that are made with lower budgets, ranging from microbudgets up to $20 million. Second, ‘economy of means’ means that, whatever their budget, the filmmakers stretched every dollar and used every resource at their disposal to make the best and most ambitious film they possibly could.

Snub: “The Shape Of Water”
Indeed, Guillermo del Toro‘s beloved merman romance was left out in the cold by the Indie Spirits. So, what gives? The film’s budget — somewhere between $18-20 million — fell into the acceptable range, but the critically acclaimed movie, widely viewed as an Oscar favorite, got nothing. My guess is that the ambitious fantasy simply didn’t feel indie enough to voters. The film’s budget was still astronomical compared to its competitors, and it will be getting a wide release that most of the other Indie Spirit movies won’t. There is plenty of room in this awards season for “The Shape Of Water” to get love elsewhere, and it’ll certainly happen, but the light at the Indie Spirits was focused on giving shine to smaller movies with less resources to get in the world than del Toro’s Fox Searchlight-backed movie.

Snub: “Wind River”
Another widely acclaimed film, and a sleeper box office hit, there is one simple reason why Taylor Sheridan‘s directorial debut got shut out: Harvey Weinstein. As much as the producers and filmmakers put a concerted effort to scrub the disgraced mogul’s name from the film, I suppose there was still discomfort in voting for a movie with his fingerprints on it. Even if they were erased.

Surprise: A24
The indie distributor isn’t even five years old yet, but they have become one of the industry’s premiere tastemakers. They lead the Indie Spirits this year with 17 nominations. Sorry Hollywood, their Best Picture win at the Oscar last year with “Moonlight” was no fluke. They are a force to be reckoned with.

Snub: Greta Gerwig
One of the best reviewed, commercially performing arthouse movies of the year, “Lady Bird” is a sensation. However, while the movie managed four nominations, and Gerwig got Best Screenplay, it’s a bit baffling she wasn’t recognized in the Best Director category.

Snub: Brooklynn Prince and Willem Dafoe for “The Florida Project”
With nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, did everyone forget the two magical elements that made the movie soar? Brooklynn Prince and Willem Dafoe each deserved a nomination for their work.

Surprise: All the “Good Time” love
Frankly, we kinda thought we were the only ones who remembered just how great the Safdies‘ little thriller was. We figured the film’s $2 million gross would ensure it was overlooked. But wowsers, the movie managed some key nods, and we’re pretty excited to see Benny Safdie recognized for his outstanding performance as Robert Pattinson‘s mentally disabled brother, and star-in-the-making Taliah Lennice Webster honored for her terrific supporting work.

Snub: “The Beguiled”
Okay, Sofia Coppola‘s latest was a long shot for any nominations, but it would’ve been nice to see the hilarious and uneasy drama/comedy of manners and sexual repression get recongnized for something. Cinematography? Best Supporting Actress for Kirsten Dunst? Anyway, if you haven’t seen “The Beguiled,” don’t forget about it….

Surprise: “The Rider”
…speaking of which, we really need to catch up with Chloé Zhao‘s film, which is clearly resonating in all the right places. For whatever reason, we just kept missing it on the festival circuit. Hey, Sony Pictures Classics, help us out?

Surprise: “Columbus”
We’re absolutely tickled to see Kogonada‘s “Columbus” get some love with three nominations. It’s a lovely, gorgeously made little drama that deserves all the attention it can get.

Snub: “The Square”
Ruben Ostlund‘s Palme d’Or winner was the talk of the Cannes Film Festival, and considered a frontrunner in the Best Foreign Film Oscar race, but the dramedy missed with voters here. It certainly raises some eyebrows given the sharp satiric bite of the film, and big ideas it brings to the table.

The Indie Spirit awards will be handed out on Saturday, March 3, 2018.