Columbia Filmmakers Nominated for 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards; Several Take Home Top Prizes
Update: March 7, 2023
The 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards took place over the weekend, with the Columbia filmmakers behind Joyland and The Cathedral taking home top prizes.
Directed, co-written, and produced by Saim Sadiq '19, Joyland was named Best International Feature. The film, which has been captivating audiences on the festival circuit and recently secured a US distribution deal with Oscilloscope, follows a patriarchal family as they hope for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious trans starlet.
“They did send us an email saying we should prepare a speech, and I archived it, not taking it seriously at all,” Sadiq joked during his acceptance speech. “To support a film that comes from Pakistan that’s in Urdu and Punjabi, that talks about the things that this film talks about, is not an easy decision to make. It was easier for me to say I wanted to make this film, but perhaps pretty hard for [our producers] to say they want to put their might behind it, and they deserve so much credit.”
Joyland was produced by Apoorva Charan '18, co-written by Maggie Briggs '19, and edited by Jasmin Tennuci '20. Film alumna and Dean's Council member Katharina Otto-Bernstein '92 ('86 CC), whose mentorship program has set up many Film alumni for success, also serves as a producer on the film, after Sadiq's previous short film Darling was a recipient of the Katharina Otto-Bernstein grant. Associate Professor Ramin Bahrani (CC ’96) serves as Executive Producer and Mona Maahn '22 as Associate Producer. The creative team behind the film also includes Rob Bellon '19, Esteban Garcia Vernaza '20, Bane Fakih '19, Mark Sean Haynes '17, and Kaiser Wahab (Law '99).
The Cathedral, written, directed, and edited by Ricky D'Ambrose '12, took home the John Cassavetes Award, the prize given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000. The film, which had a budget of $200,000, is a D’Ambrose’s semi-autobiographical feature tracking one family’s rise and fall over decades.
“The film was put together so quickly, for so little money, with the unshakable support of Graham Swon, our wonderful producer,” D’Ambrose said in his acceptance speech. “Monica Barbaro and Brian d'Arcy James led a terrific cast. It is a struggle to cast people who are modeled after people you grew up with, and it is something our casting directors did so nimbly.”
The filmmakers behind Women Talking also took to the awards stage to accept the Robert Altman Award, an honor bestowed upon a single film’s director, casting director, and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman, known for populating his films with extraordinary ensemble casts.
“As much as I would like to see an award for every single one of [our actors] honored individually, it is so fitting that the way you’re being recognized is for the beautiful, supportive, loving ensemble you are,” director Sarah Polley said.
Set in 2010 and Produced by Dede Gardner '06 CC, Women Talking centers the women of an isolated religious community as they grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their faith. Together they must decide if they will do nothing, stay and fight, or leave.
Read the complete list of winners here.
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Original: December 05, 2022
Five films from Columbia filmmakers have been nominated for the upcoming 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards. The 38th annual awards ceremony will take place on March 4, 2023 in Santa Monica, California.
The Film Independent Spirit Awards is a premier awards event for the independent film and television community. The awards ceremony is produced by Film Independent, an organization that has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen for over 40 years. The nonprofit organization’s core mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling and support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision.
"We couldn't be more honored to celebrate this year's exciting film nominees," said Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent. "As the Film Independent Spirit Awards evolve with our changing industry, including embracing non-gendered categories, we look to these artists to lead us into the future.”
The complete list of films and Columbia filmmakers nominated is below:
Our Father, The Devil
Written and Directed by Ellie Foumbi '17
Nominated for Best Feature
In this stunning narrative feature, Masie Cissé works as the head chef at a retirement home in small-town France. Her easy day-to-day life is disrupted by the arrival of Father Patrick, an African priest whom she recognizes from a terrifying episode in her homeland.
The film, which marks Foumbi’s directorial debut, previously won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, the Narrative Features Jury Award at the 2022 New Orleans Film Festival, and previously screened at the 2022 Hamptons International Film Festival.
Murina
Directed by Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović '17
Co-written by Kusijanović and Frank Graziano '18
Nominated for Best First Feature, Best Cinematography, and Best Breakthrough Performance (Gracija Filipović)
Murina follows a small family made up of young mother Nela, teenaged Julija, and strict father Ante. The family's world on a Croatian island is rocked by the visit of an old family friend. While Ante is absorbed in a land deal, Nela and Julija must deal with their complex relationships to the foreigner's presence in their home. The film, which was produced in part by Martin Scorscese’s Sikelia Productions, premiered at Cannes in the Director’s Fortnight category, where it was awarded the Camera d'Or. Actor Gracija Filipović previously took home the Breakthrough Performer Award at this year’s Gotham Awards, where Kusijanović was also nominated for the ceremony’s Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award.
Joyland
Directed, Co-written, and Produced by Saim Sadiq '19
Produced by Apoorva Charan '18
Co-written by Maggie Briggs '19
Edited by Jasmin Tennuci '20
Nominated for Best International Film
Joyland follows a patriarchal family as they hope for the birth of a baby boy to continue the family line, while their youngest son secretly joins an erotic dance theater and falls for an ambitious trans starlet. Film alumna and Dean's Council member Katharina Otto-Bernstein '92 ('86 CC), whose mentorship program has set up many Film alumni for success, also serves as a producer on the film, after Sadiq's previous short film Darling was a recipient of the Katharina Otto-Bernstein grant. Associate Professor Ramin Bahrani (CC ’96) serves as Executive Producer and Mona Maahn '22 as Associate Producer. The creative team behind the film also includes Rob Bellon '19, Esteban Garcia Vernaza '20, Bane Fakih '19, Mark Sean Haynes '17, and Kaiser Wahab (Law '99). The film previously took home the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and Queer Palm at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and had its North American premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.
The Cathedral
Written, Directed, and Edited by Ricky D'Ambrose '12
Nominated for the John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000), Best Editing, and Best Supporting Performance (Brian d’Arcy James)
The Cathedral is a multigenerational tale tracking one family’s rise and fall over decades, as seen through the eyes of its youngest member, Jesse, an only child who develops an interest in art. The film previously screened at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and D’Ambrose was also selected to participate in the 51st iteration of the New Directors/New Films (ND/NF) Festival from Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art. It was also previously nominated for Best Feature at this year’s Gotham Awards.
Watch the complete nomination video for the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards here.
Women Talking
Produced by Dede Gardner '06 CC
Nominated for Best Feature, Best Director, Best Screenplay
Set in 2010, Women Talking centers the women of an isolated religious community as they grapple with reconciling a brutal reality with their faith. Together they must decide if they will do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. Gardner produced the film alongside Frances McDormand and Jeremy Kleiner. Its stellar cast includes Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Frances McDormand, and several other rising stars.
In addition to its numerous nominations, the film was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon a single film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman, known for populating his films with extraordinary ensemble casts.