Spirit Awards Return to Santa Monica Today

On the eve of Oscar night, Academy Award favorite The Artist will take five nominations into the Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony today, tying it with the apocalyptic drama Take Shelter for the most nods with five each.

The Spirit Awards honor independent films made with budgets of less than $20 million. They will be presented during a luncheon ceremony in a tent near the beach in Santa Monica.

The Spirit Awards returned to Santa Monica last year, following a one-year relocation to Los Angeles.

The films are up for best feature film, along with 50/50, Beginners, Drive and The Descendants. Beginners, Drive, The Descendants and Martha Marcy May Marlene each have four nominations.

Oscar nominee Michelle Williams is up for best actress for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn. Also nominated are Lauren Ambrose of Think of Me, Rachael Harris for Natural Selection, Adepero Oduye for Pariah and Elizabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene.

Woody Harrelson of Rampart is among those nominated for best actor, along with Ryan Gosling of Drive, Michael Shannon of Take Shelter and Oscar nominees Demin Bichir for A Better Life and Jean Dujardin of The Artist.

— City News Service