GLBT films compete for Spirit Awards

The independent films Hedwig and the Angry Inch and L.I.E. are among the leading nominees at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards, given by the Independent Feature Project/West and broadcast live on the Independent Film Channel beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern time. (The ceremony will be rebroadcast on Bravo at 10 p.m. Eastern.) Out filmmaker John Waters, an icon of independent filmmaking, will emcee the show, and presenters will include Sir Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Gillian Anderson, Benjamin Bratt, Rachel Griffiths, Nicole Kidman, Christina Ricci, and Mulholland Drive's Naomi Watts. Both Hedwig and L.I.E. are nominated for Best Feature; The Anniversary Party, codirected by Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh, is up for Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay; Patrik-Ian Polk's Punks is a nominee for the John Cassavetes Award, given to the best feature with a budget under $500,000. Hedwig cocreator and star John Cameron Mitchell is also nominated for Best Director, Best First Screenplay, and Best Male Lead. Cheryl Dunye will compete against Mitchell for the director award. Her film, Stranger Inside, is also nominated for Best Supporting Female (Davenia McFadden) and Best Debut Performance (Yolonda Ross). Ross is up against L.I.E.'s Paul Franklin Dano; also nominated from L.I.E. are lead Brian Cox and supporting actor Billy Kay as well as the screenplay. The Deep End garnered nominations for lead Tilda Swinton and for cinematography. The Swedish film Together is up for Best Foreign Film. Advocate.com will post the winners of the awards shortly after the ceremony on Saturday.