FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Seanna Hore, Ginsberg/Libby
seanna.hore@ginsberglibby.com

Gladys Santos, Ginsberg/Libby
gladys.santos@ginsberglibby.com
 

LOS ANGELES (February 21, 2023) – Film Independent, the nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering independence and inclusivity in visual storytelling, announced this morning the presenters at the 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Joining host Hasan Minhaj, these presenters will reveal the award recipients at the Santa Monica beach on Saturday, March 4 at 2:00 pm PST, streamed live on IMDb’s YouTube channel, as well as Film Independent’s YouTube and Twitter accounts. The Spirit Awards are Film Independent’s largest annual celebration, making year-round programming for filmmakers and film loving audiences possible while amplifying the voices of independent storytellers and celebrating their diversity, originality and uniqueness of vision.

The lineup of presenters will be headlined by Austin Butler, Beatrice Grannò, Sharon Horgan, Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Troy Kotsur, Haley Lu Richardson, Melanie Lynskey, Taylour Paige and Jenny Slate, among others to be announced before the show. They will be joining the previously announced Honorary Co-Chairs, Academy Award winners and Film Independent Fellows Chloé Zhao and Siân Heder.

The Spirit Awards will follow the return of Film Independent’s Directors Close-Up (DCU) series, which began on February 1 and wraps up with three in-person events from February 26 to March 1. The signature program, now in its 22nd year, is devoted to exploring the art and craft of directing, celebrating the directors, writers and creators nominated at this year’s Spirit Awards. As an official part of the month-long ramp-up to the awards ceremony, the online and in-person panels feature in-depth discussions with the most celebrated filmmakers of the past year.

This year’s DCU boasts yet another mammoth line-up of critically acclaimed visual storytellers from around the globe. In a continuation of last year’s format, the schedule features ten sessions, each devoted to a different Spirit Awards nominee category, plus additional special guests from the blockbuster and international film and TV worlds. The series offers creators and enthusiasts of film and TV a unique opportunity to hear acclaimed artists discussing specific aspects of their craft in-depth. The first virtual sessions of the program are currently available online and will conclude with in-person live events at the program’s new home, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, February 26, February 28 and March 1.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Wallis, bringing to their stage our signature programs Film Independent Presents and Directors Close-Up on the eve of the Film Independent Spirit Awards,” said Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent. “Like the Spirit Awards themselves, this year’s line-up is a true confluence of bold, original filmmakers who are creating the most provocative and imaginative work today.”

The Wallis sessions will take place in partnership with Film Independent’s year-round screening and special events program, Film Independent Presents.
 
February 26, 5:00 pm PST
Directing Frame by Frame: Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
This special evening will explore the fascinating world of stop-motion animation, with key members of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. Learn how each frame was handcrafted from the ground up by the talented artists who created the puppets and brought them to life, featuring Guillermo del Toro (Writer/Director/Producer), Mark Gustafson (Director), Brian Leif Hansen (Animation Supervisor) and Georgina Hayns (Director of Character Fabrication).

February 28, 7:30 pm PST
Casting and Directing Actors: Shrinking with Creator Jason Segel and Team
Shrinking creator, the multi-talented actor, writer and producer Jason Segel, is joined by his collaborators for a deep dive into the process of bringing to the screen believable characters and memorable performances, featuring Jason Segel (Creator/Actor), James Ponsoldt (Director), Jessica Williams (Actor) and casting directors Brett Benner, CSA and Debby Romano, CSA. From every different point of view, we will hear about what’s behind a great performance, as the team discusses the ways in which they collaborate.

March 1, 7:30 pm PST
The Spirit of Independence
2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards Best Director and Best Feature nominees Todd Field (Tár), Film Independent Fellow Ellie Foumbi (Our Father, the Devil), Daniel Kwan (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Sarah Polley (Women Talking), Halina Reijn (Bodies Bodies Bodies) and Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once) will discuss their films, their careers, and how they stay true to their personal, artistic visions in the commercial marketplace. Moderated by Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent.
 
Attendees are invited to join a celebratory reception immediately after each event on site at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Beverages are provided by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, FIJI Water, Peroni and Jamshid Wine.

View the entire schedule, as well as how to attend here. The sessions will be available on demand, exclusively to passholders, after the series concludes on March 1.

Past DCU panelists have included Ben Affleck, Sean Baker, Radha Blank, Alfonso Cuarón, Lee Isaac Chung, Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, Lena Dunham, Ava DuVernay, Emerald Fennell, David Fincher, Greta Gerwig, Emily V. Gordon, Eliza Hittman, Nicole Holofcener, Barry Jenkins, Richard Linklater, Steve McQueen, Kumail Nanjiani, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Issa Rae, Kelly Reichardt, Josh & Benny Safdie, Justin Simien, Joey Soloway, Denis Villeneuve, Chloé Zhao, Benh Zeitlin and many more.

The 2023 Directors Close-Up is supported by Director’s Guild of America, SAGindie, IMDb and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The Film Independent Spirit Awards are supported by Principal Partner IMDb and Official Partners Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, FIJI Water and GreenSlate. The Official Hotel is Hotel Casa del Mar. Getty Images is the Official Photographer.

Closed captioning will be available for the Film Independent Spirit Awards stream and Directors Close-Up series. Film Independent is committed to hosting events that are accessible. For inquiries regarding accessibility, or to request an accommodation, please contact us at accessibility@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9305.

Individual tickets for the in-person events are $35 per program and are on sale now. The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills. To purchase tickets and for more information, please call 310-746-4000 or visit thewallis.org/directors-close-up.

To learn more about supporting Film Independent’s mission and programs or attending the Spirit Awards, contact Kate Walker D’Angelo at kwalker@filmindependent.org.

View all of this year’s Spirit Awards nominees here. Winners are selected by Film Independent Members. Membership is open to the public. To become a Film Independent Member, please visit filmindependent.org/join.
 

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

For over 40 years, Film Independent has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen. 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.

In addition to producing the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the organization supports creative professionals with Artist Development programs, grants and labs. Signature mentorship program Project Involve fosters the careers of talented filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Weekly Education events and workshops equip filmmakers of all ages and experience levels with tools and resources. Global Media Makers, a cultural exchange program produced in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, provides career-building opportunities for international film professionals. And year-round screening series Film Independent Presents delivers monthly, unique cinematic experiences to Members in Los Angeles and beyond.

For more information or to become a Member, visit filmindependent.org.
 

ABOUT WALLIS ANNENBERG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is a dynamic cultural hub and community resource where local, national and international artists share their artistry with ever-expanding audiences. The campus, located in the heart of Beverly Hills, CA, is committed to robust and distinctive presentations and education programs curated with both creativity and social impact in mind. Distinguished by its eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its location in the entertainment capital of the world, the Wallis has produced and presented more than 350 theater, dance, music, film, cabaret, conversation, and family entertainment programs since its doors opened in October 2013. Hailed as “au courant” (LaLa Magazine), the Wallis was lauded by Culture Vulture, which proclaims, “if you love expecting the unexpected in the performing arts, you have to love the Wallis.” Its programming has been nominated for 79 Ovation Awards and nine L.A. Drama Critic’s Circle Awards. The campus itself, a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot facility, celebrating the classic and the modern, has garnered six architectural awards. Designed by acclaimed architect Zoltan E. Pali (SPF:architects), the restored building features the original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places), which serves as the theater’s dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and includes the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater; the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater; an inviting open-air plaza for family, community and other performances; and GRoW @ the Wallis: A Space for Arts Education, where learning opportunities for all ages and backgrounds abound. Together, these elements embrace the city’s history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike. Michael Nemeroff is Chairman of the Wallis’ Board of Directors.