• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Divorce drama 'Squid' leads indie-film contenders

Posted on: Tuesday, 29 November 2005, 16:27 CST

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."

Source: REUTERS

More News in this Category