ROTTEN TOMATOES: Juno Leads Independent Spirit Winners...And Gains Momentum For Oscar Gold

Juno Leads Independent Spirit Winners...And Gains Momentum For Oscar Gold

Full list of today's winners inside.

by Jen Yamato | February 23, 2008

The little teen pregnancy movie that could made a last-minute surge towards tomorrow's Oscars as Juno won three of its four Independent Spirit Award categories during Saturday's event.

As we noted while live-blogging the red carpet from Jiminy Glick's Netflix living room, this year's Film Independent Spirit Awards seemed to be all about Jason Reitman's Juno from the get-go. As Juno had become the buzzword of this awards season, earning critics circles' and numerous Top Ten honors, one's Oscar pool ballot might seem to be amiss without at least one or two Juno-related predictions.

And so it was when Hollywood came out Saturday afternoon for the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Held in a beachside tent in Santa Monica, the champagne-fueled party got A-listers and indie filmmakers alike out in droves to celebrate the best of the year's independent, or at least independent in spirit, films. Leading the pack of winners was Juno, which won the day's top prize for Best Feature. Twenty-year-old star Ellen Page won the trophy for Best Actress, and writer Diablo Cody won for the Best First Screenplay.

Cody faced a room full of press after her win. "To me having the film be made is the reward," she said. "You never expect in a million years that [your screenplay] is even going to be produced...this is so cool!"

Diablo Cody with her Spirit trophy. (Kevin Mazur, WireImage) Click for more images from the 2008 Spirit Awards.

RT asked Cody if she, like the majority of Oscar pundits, sees Juno as the front runner for tomorrow's event.

"No! The fact that people have embraced this movie the way they did continues to be a surprise. I still think of us as the 'little pregnant girl movie' that has somehow caught on. It doesn't feel like an Oscar movie."

Also nabbing multiple wins were the Oscar-nominated films The Savages (Philip Seymour Hoffman for Best Actor, writer-director Tamara Jenkins for Best Screenplay) and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (director Julian Schnabel for Best Director, Janusz Kaminski for Best Cinematography). Earlier, Jason Reitman had predicted that the directing award would go to his fellow nominee Schnabel; both are also up for Best Director in tomorrow's Oscar race.

Rounding out the acting awards were wins by Chiwetel Ejiofor for his upporting role in Talk To Me, and Cate Blanchett, who received a supporting trophy for her role as Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes' I'm Not There (for which she is also Oscar-nominated). Blanchett will be competing for a second award tomorrow night for her starring role in Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Check out the full list of Indie Spirit Award winners below (winners in bold).

Best Feature

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
I'm Not There
Juno
A Mighty Heart
Paranoid Park

Best Director

Todd Haynes
I'm Not There

Tamara Jenkins
The Savages

Jason Reitman
Juno

Julian Schnabel
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Gus Van Sant
Paranoid Park

Best Female Lead

Angelina Jolie
A Mighty Heart

Sienna Miller
Interview

Ellen Page
Juno

Parker Posey
Broken English

Tang Wei
Lust, Caution

Best Male Lead

Pedro Castaneda
August Evening

Don Cheadle
Talk to Me

Philip Seymour Hoffman
The Savages

Tony Leung
Lust, Caution

Frank Langella
Starting Out in the Evening

Best Supporting Female

Cate Blanchett
I'm Not There

Anna Kendrick
Rocket Science

Jennifer Jason Leigh
Margot at the Wedding

Tamara Podemski
Four Sheets to the Wind

Marisa Tomei
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Best Supporting Male

Chiwetel Ejiofor
Talk to Me

Marcus Carl Franklin
I'm Not There

Kene Holliday
Great World of Sound

Irfan Khan
The Namesake

Steve Zahn
Rescue Dawn

Best Cinematography

Mott Hupful
The Savages

Janusz Kaminski
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Milton Kam
Vanaja

Mihai Malaimare, Jr.
Youth Without Youth

Rodrigo Prieto
Lust, Caution

Best Screenplay

Ronald Harwood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Tamara Jenkins
The Savages

Fred Parnes & Andrew Wagner
Starting Out in the Evening

Adrienne Shelly
Waitress

Mike White
Year of the Dog

Best First Screenplay

Jeffrey Blitz
Rocket Science

Zoe Cassavetes
Broken English

Diablo Cody
Juno

Kelly Masterson
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

John Orloff
A Mighty Heart

Best First Feature

2 Days in Paris
Director: Julie Delpy
Producers: Julie Delpy, Christophe Mazodier, Thierry Potok

Great World of Sound
Director Craig Zobel
Producers: Melissa Palmer, David Gordon Green, Richard Wright, Craig Zobel

The Lookout
Director: Scott Frank
Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Laurence Mark, Walter Parkes

Rocket Science
Director: Jeffrey Blitz
Producers: Effie T. Brown, Sean Welch

Vanaja
Director: Rajnesh Domalpalli
Producer Latha R. Domalapalli

Best Documentary

Crazy Love
Director: Dan Klores

Lake of Fire
Director: Tony Kaye

Manufactured Landscapes
Director: Jennifer Baichwal

The Monastery
Director: Pernille Rose Gronkjaer

The Prisoner Or: How I Planned To Kill Tony Blair
Directors: Petra Epperlein & Michael Tucker

Best Foreign Film

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 3 Days (Romania)
Director: Cristian Mungiu

The Band's Visit (Israel)
Director: Eran Koirin

Lady Chatterley (France)
Director: Pascale Ferran

Once (Ireland)
Director: John Carney

Persepolis (France)
Director: Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi

Robert Altman Award

I'm Not There
Director: Todd Haynes
Casting Director Laura Rosenthal
Ensemble Cast: Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Bruce Greenwood, David Cross, Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams

John Cassavetes Award

August Evening
Writer/Director: Chris Eska
Producers: Connie Hill, Jason Wehling

Owl and the Sparrow
Writer/Director: Stephane Gauger
Producers: Nguyen Van Quen, Doan Nhat Nam, Stephane Gauger

The Pool
Director: Chris Smith
Producer: Kate Noble
Writers: Chris Smith & Randy Russell

Quiet City
Director: Aaron Katz
Producers: Brendan McFadden, Ben Stambler
Writers: Aaron Katz, Erin Fisher, Cris Lankenau Shotgun Stories
Writer/Director: Jeff Nichols
Producers: David Gordon Green, Lisa Muskat, Jeff Nichols

IFC/Acura Someone to Watch Award

Ramin Bahrani
Director of Chop Shop

Lee Isaac Chung
Director of Munyurangabo

Ronnie Bronstein
Director of Frownland

Piaget Producers Award

Anne Clements
Producer of Ping Pong Playa and Quincea�era

Alexis Ferris
Producer of Cthulhu and Police Beat

Neil Kopp
Producer of Paranoid Park and Old Joy

Read our red carpet report here, blogged from Jiminy Glick's (Martin Short) celebrity living room.

Related Items

Movie:	The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
	Awards Tour 2007
Celeb:	Julian Schnabel
	Cate Blanchett
	Jason Reitman
	Ellen Page
	Diablo Cody

(1-20 of 34 posts) | Reply

jocorotten writes:
on Feb 23 2008 07:01 PM

I am thrilled Juno has done so well. Down with the backlash!!!

(Reply to this)

Spiderbash writes:
on Feb 23 2008 07:02 PM

I thought Juno was an good movie, but I was thinking the movie would be funnier. Instead it ending up being a charming movie, instead of the laugh out loud comedy I was told it was. I feel deceived by rotten tomatoes because they put it pretty high on the comedy list of 2007 (I think it was number 1). So I was told this movie was better than Knocked Up and Superbad (which were my favorite movies of last year) in terms of the comedy genre. Juno in my opinion was worse than Knocked Up and Superbad for a comedy. I wanted to see a laugh out loud comedy in Juno but I did not laugh that much. Though some parts were funny, Juno was not a good comedy, but a good movie to cheer you up.

(Reply to this)

Phoenix Dark Dirk writes:
on Feb 23 2008 07:49 PM

Today was just more proof that the award system is flawed. Juno isn't good at all, it is a horrible film. The writing is so poor by Diablo Cody. It starts off with quircky and witty dialouge that lasts the entire film, getting old, tedious, and annoying. None of the actors get their chance to show any great acting. Their all stuck in first gear throughout the entire film, never letting go of their individual schticks. The film is also very fake and is an unrealistic potrayal of teenager life that no teenager can relate to. No teenager can talk like that and have witty comments up their sleeves for whenever they open their mouths. I just know now that it is going to win the Oscar tomorrow for Best Picture and that is how flawed the award system is. This movie is horrible, it's so far away from some of the greater comedies of the year: Hot Fuzz, The Host, Rocket Science, The Savages, etc.

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MyDearestFosca writes:
on Feb 23 2008 07:57 PM

I thought JUNO was just fantastic, but the "it didn't live up to the hype"-ness happens to everyone.

Between you and me, I didn't think BORAT was all that.

(Reply to this)

vic40186 writes:
on Feb 23 2008 08:33 PM

If JUNO wins any of the 4 nominations it has, there's no justice in this world. The film is a fine crap.

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smartmoviekid writes:
on Feb 23 2008 08:39 PM

again with the juno bashing. come on! its probably not what was expected, but if u accept the characters in the film with the witty language, then ,imo, its a wonderful film. do i think it deserves best pic at the oscars tomorrow night? no. is it a wonderful film that is defenitely worthy of consideration for that very oscar? yes, imho.

(Reply to this)

jokerboy1991 writes:
on Feb 23 2008 08:41 PM

In reply to this comment (#1597838)
I understand what you're saying, I would agree but only about the first 20 minutes of the movie. It started out with stupid quick zingers, but then becomes something more and really good. Yes I dont think it deserved BEST PIC and BEST DIRECTOR nod, but I do understand DIABLO CODY and ELLEN PAGE's work on JUNO was great. I just dont get how Juno gets nominated ove AMERICAN GANGSTER, ZODIAC, INTO THE WILD, SWEENEY TODD, 3:10 TO YUMA, I'M NOT THERE, GONE BABY GONE, THE GREAT DEBATERS, BOURNE ULTIMATUM, and RESCUE DAWN. Its a very good movie, but with so many other great movies out this year I just dont get how it god those nods over all those movies.

(Reply to this)

smartmoviekid writes:
on Feb 23 2008 08:44 PM

In reply to this comment (#1597938)
i agree with the snubs as well. i felt Zodiac was one of the best of '07, and it was quite overlooked. im not there was a bit jumbled 4 me ,but it was a great film nonetheless. and to me, American Gangster was entertaining with great perfomances, but i expected more intensity and tension, which was disappointing for me. and ill admit, there were times where juno tried to be a bit too witty, but i couldn't dislike the characters for one second.

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ksduded writes:
on Feb 23 2008 08:57 PM

Into the wild and emile hirch should have been nominated for best actor. Christan bale for rescue dawn was also a potential snub. Juno was just an above average movie about teen pregnancy. Its getting waay over its due.

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Sierra_X writes:
on Feb 23 2008 09:31 PM

In reply to this comment (#1597838)
For those who say that Juno is a horrible film, well, you're entitled to your opinion. But to those who say that it is a film no teenager can relate to, you couldn't be more wrong. I, as a graduating high-school senior, found it to be creative, witty, and and a film that made you actually care for the characters, cheering them on, and understanding their pain. While it may have exaggerated some aspects of high-school life, in the end, you still could feel like you had something in common, something you could relate to, and that maybe that meant there was hope for some of the bad things in your life, too. And as for saying that "no teenager can can have witty comments up their sleeves for whenever they open their mouths," heh, that is how we thrive. Sarcasm, wit, and always being ready with that snarky comment... yeah, it's awesome.

Honestly, I loved Juno, and so did all my friends and the other "teenagers" I know. It's awesome to see that it's winning so many awards, and that it has a shot at the Oscars. In my opinion, it more than deserves it.

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Kudos Mooney writes:
on Feb 23 2008 09:48 PM

Ellen Page is a horrible actress. You can see her TRYING to be a character and not acting BEING a character. For further proof, check out Hard Candy. She is extremely overrated, and an embarrassment.

On that note, the film was charming and had its moments. But I agree...Gone Baby Gone, Zodiac, etc...they all deserve more recognition than this cutesy film. I can't wait until it's forgotten.

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h-town24 writes:
on Feb 23 2008 09:52 PM

Great movie Juno and I hope it does win. But "like the majority of Oscar pundits, sees Juno as the front runner for tomorrow's event."? Byass much RT?! No one sees it as the favorite!

(Reply to this)

smartmoviekid writes:
on Feb 23 2008 10:37 PM

In reply to this comment (#1598052)
excuse me? horrible actress u say? im sorry but i have to disagree with u. Page ,wether her roles in x men 3, hard candy, or juno, seems to always put up a unique and witty touch into her performances, wether violent (H.C) or funny (Juno), imo, i think thats the ability of a great, not horrible actress.

(Reply to this)

Product_of_You writes:
on Feb 23 2008 11:20 PM

I can't believe Steve Zhan didn't win for Rescue Dawn. I thought he delievered BY FAR the best supporting acting of any film from 2007. And how come Reign Over Me wasn't even nominated in the indie awards? I was truly impressed with the movie, but no one else seems to care.

(Reply to this)

Product_of_You writes:
on Feb 23 2008 11:22 PM

In reply to this comment (#1598052)
And to the dude who said Ellen Page is a bad actress. Dude, how can you for one second think she was bad in Hard Candy? It is a testament to any actor when only two are able to carry an entire movie with heavry dialogue on their shoulders. Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page are both amazing in it.

(Reply to this)

vaodsi writes:
on Feb 24 2008 01:57 AM

this might be off subject... but i wish into the wild was nominated for more and i hope hal holbrook wins. he just about made me cry.

(Reply to this)

Young Turk writes:
on Feb 24 2008 04:52 AM

I'm a little mad that Eastern Promises and Zodiac didn't get nominated for best picture. As for Juno, I really really enjoyed it and thought it was funny but I did not think it deserved an Oscar nomination. If anything only Ellen Paige's individual performance deserves any awards. The writing was far too "witty" and felt forced. And if Juno deserves a nomination as a whole then Knocked Up, which I thought was a much better movie overall, should have been included as well.

By the way Diablo Cody is pretty effing hot.

(Reply to this)

~*Admiral Snowstorm*~ writes:
on Feb 24 2008 05:13 AM

I agree with jokerboy. Good as Juno was, it's a very big deal to be nominated for Best Picture, and, this year especially, it was outclassed several times over. I'm okay with the nomination; disappointed, but okay. If it wins Best Picture, though, I'll lose my faith in the Oscars.

Best Screenplay is also something it shouldn't get. It was a decent Screenplay, but at the Oscars, we're not looking to give awards to 'decent'. We're looking for outstanding screenplays, and Cody's screenplay for Juno isn't quite up to muster.

Ellen Page winning Best Actress, though, I'd be okay with. Pretty much anyone on that list is equally deserving, though (except Cate Blanchette, but she's a lock for Best Supporting Actress anyhow; she deserves that one over Best Actress). I don't care too much either way if she wins it or not, but it's the only Oscar Juno truly deserves.

It was a good movie, make no mistake, but it's just not award-worthy. It would be like giving Spider-Man 3 the Best Picture award. Sure it's a good movie and sure I liked it, but Best Picture? Absolutely not. Juno had better not win it, if only because four other great movies will be losing to it. The competition is brutal this year, and Juno just shouldn't win, especially since it has swept the Independent Awards. It's won its fair share of awards, and it can win Best Actress if the voters feel so inclined, but it's really just a passable movie way out of its league in the realm of giants.

(Reply to this)

Vortex&Vertigo writes:
on Feb 24 2008 06:09 AM

You guys are really out of touch. I suggest you go out more and talk to people. While I am not expecting Juno to win best picture. I would not mind if it did. Juno was a movie that connected with people in it's situation. The dialogue was top notch. I have friends who speak exactly like Juno, copy and paste. Just because you guys haven't meet a person like that it dosen't mean the dialogue is fake. For me as long as Daniel Day Lewis wins best actor there will be trouble if not then there will be blood.

(Reply to this)

reavus4983 writes:
on Feb 24 2008 07:46 AM

In reply to this comment (#1598691)
Amen. Seems like everyone's urge to bash Juno is simply because it's such a hit. It's pretty ignorant to burst out saying Ellen Page is a horrible actress and Diablo Cody is a horrible scriptwriter. It doesn't deserve best picture, but it deserves every one of its nominations. Besides, every year there has to be some type of 'hip' movie on the ballot for the sake of the 'hip' audiences watching the ceremony. With that said, if Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't win tonight, I'll probably never be able to watch the Oscars again. He gave the best performance I've ever seen. I still don't know myself though whether I liked TWBB or NCFOM more though.

(Reply to this)