Timothee Chalamet (left) and Armie Hammer, shown here in New York in October, both earned Spirit Award nominations for "Call Me By Your Name", which led the pack with six nominations. — AFP Photo |
LOS ANGELES — Coming-of-age tale Call Me by Your Name led the pack of independent films tipped for Oscars glory as the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday.
Set in 1980s Italy and starring Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer, it tells the story of 17-year-old Elio as he begins a relationship with his father’s American research assistant, Oliver.
The film was nominated in six categories, including best feature, best director for Luca Guadagnino and best lead and supporting male for Chalamet and Hammer, respectively.
Breakout horror satire Get Out, written and directed by debutant filmmaker Jordan Peele and starring Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams, secured five nominations, including best screenplay and directing for Peele and male lead for Kaluuya.
Josh and Benny Safdie’s heist thriller Good Time tied in second place with nods for directing, editing and three actors, including for its star Robert Pattinson.
"Twilight" actor Pattinson, 31, earned the best reviews of his career for his portrayal of a New York bank robber, shedding his heartthrob looks in favor of a shaggy bleach-blond mane and a torso full of tattoos.
Greta Gerwig’s comedy Lady Bird and Chloe Zhao’s The Rider, which picked up the Art Cinema Award at Cannes, each earned four nods.
The nominations were announced on Tuesday morning by actresses Lily Collins, and Tessa Thompson, and Film Independent chief Josh Welsh at the plush Jeremy Hotel in West Hollywood.
"There’s an excitement particularly because Film Independent acknowledges people that are just starting out for their first features," Thompson, who won acclaim for her recent performance in Thor: Ragnarok and for 2015’s Creed, said.
"There’s a hopefulness, there’s something sort of -- and I mean this in the best sense of the word -- renegade about it, surprising about it." — AFP