Divorce drama ‘Squid’ leads indie-film contenders

By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – “The Squid and the Whale,” a
low-budget drama about a family torn apart by divorce, led the
list of contenders on Tuesday for the Independent Spirit
Awards, the American art-house world’s version of the Oscars.

The film scored six nominations, ahead of higher-profile
entries based on true stories such as the Truman Capote biopic
“Capote” and director George Clooney’s Red-scare witch-hunt
saga “Good Night, and Good Luck,” with four each.

Also landing four nods each were Taiwanese director Ang
Lee’s upcoming drama “Brokeback Mountain,” about forbidden love
between two cowboys, and actor Tommy Lee Jones’ feature
directing debut “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada,”
about friendship and justice amid tensions on the Mexico-Texas
border.

The Spirit Awards, in their 21st year, honor low-budget
films based on such criteria as original, provocative subject
matter and degree of independent financing. Winners will be
unveiled on March 4, the day before the Academy Awards.

There is usually some crossover among nominees for the two
awards, but little common ground among the winners. Last year,
“Sideways” swept the Spirit Awards, winning all six categories
in which it was nominated. The next day, the comedy vied for
five Oscars but won just one, for adapted screenplay.

DIVORCE INSPIRES DIRECTOR

“The Squid and the Whale,” which has earned about $3.3
million since in two months, stars Jeff Daniels and Laura
Linney as a couple whose marriage is on the rocks. Both
received Spirit Award nominations for their lead roles, while
Noah Baumbach was cited for script and direction, and youngster
Jesse Eisenberg for his supporting role.

The story is loosely based on Baumbach’s experience with
his parents’ divorce, and won awards at the Sundance Film
Festival earlier this year.

Dawn Hudson, executive director of event organizer Film
Independent, hailed the “complete authenticity” of the script.

“We don’t often see an honest film about divorce from a
kid’s point of view,” she said.

The film will also compete for best feature against
“Brokeback Mountain,” “Capote,” “Good Night, and Good Luck” and
“The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.”

Departing from tradition, many contenders revolve around
political, racial and social issues rather than personal,
coming-of-age stories.

“Capote,” for example, stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as
famed author Truman Capote, and centers on his coverage of the
murder that yielded his book “In Cold Blood.” Cold War paranoia
and journalistic integrity are the basis for “Good Night, and
Good Luck,” a black-and-white drama starring David Strathairn
as newsman Edward R. Murrow fighting Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

The films are among the best reviewed of the year, and are
expected to figure highly as other groups announce their top
films.

Daniels, Hoffman and Strathairn are competing for best male
lead, along with Heath Ledger who plays a gay cowboy in
“Brokeback Mountain,” and Terrence Howard who plays a pimp in
the hip-hop drama “Hustle & Flow.”

“Brokeback Mountain” opens in limited release on December
9.

Besides Linney, best female lead nominees are “Desperate
Housewives” star Felicity Huffman for playing a preoperative
transsexual in “Transamerica;” Dina Korzun for her role as an
alcoholic Russian beauty in the rockabilly melodrama “Forty
Shades of Blue;” “Law & Order” veteran S. Epatha Merkerson for
“Lackawanna Blues;” an urban drama for which she recently won
an Emmy; and Texas playwright Cyndi Williams for “Room,” about
a struggling mother with visions of salvation and destruction.

Baumbach, Clooney and Lee will vie for the directing prize,
along with Gregg Araki for the pedophilia-themed drama
“Mysterious Skin” and Rodrigo Garcia for the women’s’ ensemble
piece “Nine Lives.”