Got Questions? We've got answers.

  1. Who can tell me more about submitting my film?
    Email SpiritAwards[at]FilmIndependent.org.
  2. What about the production of the event?
    Email SpiritAwards[at]FilmIndependent.org.
  3. What if I want to purchase a table at the awards ceremony?
    We'd love to have you - call 310.432.1253 to speak with Irma Barrios.
  4. Whom can I contact regarding press credentials for the ceremony?
    Our publicist, mPRm, is handling media inquiries. You can contact them at 323.933.3399.
  5. What's the deadline for submissions?
    Early: Monday, September 17, 2007 | Final: Tuesday, October 9, 2007
  6. Are there extensions on entries?
    Yes, for a price. We accept late entries until October 9, 2007, for an additional $75 per film.
  7. When are nominations announced?
    The 2008 Spirit Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, November 27, 2007.
  8. When are the winners announced?
    The 2008 Spirit Awards will take place on Saturday, February 23, 2008. The 2008 Spirit Awards will be telecast uncut on IFC with an edited re-broadcast on AMC Saturday, February 23, 2008.
  9. What makes a film eligible for a Spirit Award?
    • All submitted films must be at least 70 minutes long (i.e., Chris Munch’s The Hours and Times—at 67 minutes—and Michael Winterbottom’s Nine Songs—at 69 minutes—were not eligible for Spirit Awards).
    • Eligible films must have either played one week in a commercial theater in 2007, or have been shown at one of the following six film festivals: the Los Angeles Film Festival, New Directors/New Films, New York, Sundance, Telluride, or Toronto.
    • Eligible films must be made for no more than $20 million, including post.
  10. Who decides what films are nominated?
    Experts in the field. Three nominating committees - one each for Domestic Narrative Films, Documentary Films, and Foreign Narrative Films - are made up of 15-20 members of the film community. Committees may include film critics, film programmers, actors, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, and members of Film Independent's Board of Directors.
    What's the nomination process?
    It's a rigorous process. All films submitted are distributed to the committee and are discussed at regular meetings throughout the fall. Each committee member will take the nominating guidelines into consideration when determining the nominees. A final two-day meeting is held prior to the nomination announcement where all committee members discuss the films at length and vote on each category.How does the Nominating Committee determine if a film is “independent”?
    The Spirit Awards Nominating Committee applies the following guidelines in making its selections:
    • Uniqueness of vision
    • Original, provocative subject matter
    • Economy of means
    • Percentage of financing from independent sources
    Films that are made with an “economy of means” AND are fully financed by a studio or an indie studio division may still be considered “independent” if the subject matter is original and provocative. In other words, Film Independent does not—as of 1994—define “independent” strictly on the basis of financing. (The first studio film we honored was Darnell Martin’s I Like It Like That from Columbia Pictures in 1994.)
  11. What does “economy of means” mean?
    Films that are made with lower budgets (often microbudgets), up to $20 million. This included Tarnation ($220) and House of Sand and Fog ($18 million). But the idea is to value films made with lower budgets more highly, since lower budgets usually mean more creative control on the part of the filmmakers.
  12. Didn’t the budget ceiling for nominated films used to be lower?
    The Film Independent Board of Directors never actually set a budget ceiling for Spirit Award films prior to 2006. The task of setting a budget ceiling—of deciding which films to include in our nominations and which films to exclude—was given each year to the Spirit Awards Nominating Committee. Some years, like in 1995, the committee nominated films with budgets as high as $22 million (Bullets Over Broadway). Typically, the ceiling has hovered between $16 - $18 million. The Board of Directors was reluctant to set a hard-and-fast limit in the past, but, at the request of the Spirit Awards Nominating Committee to give the committee more specific direction, the Board fixed the budget ceiling at $20 million in 2006.
  13. Do you accept short films?
    Sorry - all submitted films must be at least 70 minutes long.
  14. May I still submit if my film was made on digital video?
    Yep. All formats count.
  15. I screened my film in a commercial theater as part of the Summer Arts Festival, does that qualify as a commercial theater run?
    Nope. The film must have screened on its own, apart from a festival or special event, at least one week in a commercial theater.
  16. How does the Spirit Awards define an “American” narrative feature?
     We define a U.S. film by its key creative components. If two of the three key creative positions (director, writer, producer) are U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., then the film qualifies as a U.S. feature—no matter what language or country the film is made in. For example, if Joan Chen writes and directs a feature shot in China and her actors all speak Mandarin (Xiu Xiu, the Sent-Down Girl), her film counts as a U.S. feature because Joan Chen (writer and director) is a U.S. citizen.
    How does the Spirit Awards define a “foreign” film?
    Every film that isn’t a U.S. narrative feature (as defined above) or a documentary feature is foreign and eligible only for the Best Foreign Film category.
  17. My film is a foreign production but has lead actors who are American and is in English. Does this qualify as an American entry?
    Well, not necessarily. A U.S. film is defined as (a) having at least one U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident credited in two or more of the following categories of responsibility: writer, director, producer; or (b) the film is set in the United States and fully financed by a company whose principal office is in the United States.
  18. Are foreign documentaries eligible for awards consideration?
    Yes. Foreign documentaries will now be considered along with U.S. documentaries for the Best Documentary category.
  19. Does a foreign film entry qualify for any categories other than Best Foreign Film or Best Documentary?
    No. Foreign films are not eligible for acting, screenwriting, cinematography, or other categories.
  20. Why are features made by first-time directors and features made for under $500,000 sometimes nominated in the Best Feature category? Don’t they have their own categories to compete in?
    The Spirit Awards Nominating Committee first selects the Best Feature nominees from the entire pool of qualifying independent films, no matter what the budget level or the experience of the filmmakers. After those features are chosen, the committee considers only films directed by first-time directors for the Best First Feature category, and only films made for budgets under $500,000 for the John Cassavetes Award category. The same process applies to Best Director and Best Screenplay. No film may be nominated for both Best Feature and Best First Feature (i.e., no double-dipping). The underlying philosophy is to spread the wealth among nominees while still guaranteeing that the Best Feature category represents the best overall in independent film.If
  21. I submitted my film last year, and it meets the requirements for this year, may I resubmit?
    Yes.
  22. Who votes on the Spirit Awards after the Nominating Committee makes its selections?
    The Film Independent membership with voting privileges extend to members of IFP organizations throughout the country.
  23. How are winners selected?
    Ballots are sent to Film Independent and IFP members. Only one ballot is counted per person and all ballots are confidential. Ballots can be submitted either online (deadline Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 11:00 pm PST) or by paper ballot (postmark deadline Saturday, February 9, 2008). All ballots are tabulated by Integrity Voting Systems.
  24. Who can become a member and vote on the Spirit Awards?
    Film Independent was created 26 years ago as an inclusive, non-profit membership organization—any independent filmmaker or film lover can join. Our dues are only $95 annually. Please visit our website at FilmIndependent.org if you want to join today.
  25. How do members see all the nominated films?
     Film Independent has created a special viewing site where voting members can log on and stream the nominated films online - all for free. Members may also attend Spirit Awards screenings in Los Angeles and New York
  26. I lost my PIN# / I lost my password / I'm having trouble streaming films online—help!
    For technical problems with streaming, email help+isa@bside.com or visit the Help page.
  27. What happens if I don't see one of the nominated films? Can I still vote in all the categories?
    You should only vote on films that you have seen. If you choose not to vote in all categories, your ballot will still be valid.