<i>Far From Heaven</i> nominated for five Independent Spirit Awards (7184)

Nominations for the 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards were announced Wednesday, with many of the year's top gay and lesbian films among those cited. Todd Haynes's Far From Heaven, an homage to 1950s melodramas that features Julianne Moore as a suburban wife dealing with husband Dennis Quaid's homosexuality, received five nominations, including Best Feature. Other films of GLBT interest up for the awards, referred to by many as the "Indie Oscars," include Dahmer, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Kissing Jessica Stein, and Gerry as well as The Good Girl (written by and costarring out Chuck & Buck writer Mike White) and Real Women Have Curves (cowritten and produced by openly gay filmmaker George LaVoo).

The nominating committee was chaired by out screenwriter Bill Condon (Chicago, Gods and Monsters) and featured the participation of gay filmmakers Lisa Cholodenko (High Art) and Randy Barbato (Party Monster) and 11 other film professionals. The 2003 Independent Spirit Awards will be broadcast live on the Independent Film Channel on March 22.

Here is a complete list of nominees for the 2003 Independent Spirit Awards:

Best Feature: Far From Heaven, The Good Girl, Lovely & Amazing, Secretary, Tully

Best Director: Joe Carnahan, Narc; Todd Haynes, Far From Heaven; Nicole Holofcener, Lovely & Amazing; Bernard Rose, ivans xtc.; Gus Van Sant, Gerry

Best Screenplay: The Good Girl, Mike White; Lovely & Amazing, Nicole Holofcener; Roger Dodger, Dylan Kidd; 13 Conversations About One Thing, Jill Sprecher and Karen Sprecher; Tully, Hilary Birmingham and Matt Drake

Best First Feature: The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Interview With the Assassin, Manito, Paid in Full, Roger Dodger

Best First Screenplay: Hysterical Blindness, Laura Cahill; Igby Goes Down, Burr Steers; Interview With the Assassin, Neil Burger; Kissing Jessica Stein, Heather Juergensen and Jennifer Westfeldt; Secretary, Erin Cressida Wilson

John Cassavetes Award (Best Feature Made for Under $500,000): Charlotte Sometimes, Dahmer, ivans xtc., Personal Velocity, The Slaughter Rule

Best Debut Performance: Bob Burrus, Tully; America Ferrera, Real Women Have Curves; Raven Goodwin, Lovely & Amazing; Artel Kayaru, Dahmer; Nia Vardalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Best Supporting Female: Viola Davis, Antwone Fisher; Jacqueline Kim, Charlotte Sometimes; Juliette Lewis, Hysterical Blindness; Emily Mortimer, Lovely & Amazing; Julianne Nicholson, Tully

Best Supporting Male: Alan Arkin, 13 Conversations About One Thing; Ray Liotta, Narc; Dennis Quaid, Far From Heaven; John C. Reilly, The Good Girl; Peter Weller, ivans xtc.

Best Female Lead: Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl; Maggie Gyllenhaal, Secretary; Catherine Keener, Lovely & Amazing; Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven; Parker Posey, Personal Velocity

Best Male Lead: Graham Greene, Skins; Danny Huston, ivans xtc.; Derek Luke, Antwone Fisher; Jeremy Renner, Dahmer; Campbell Scott, Roger Dodger

Best Cinematography: Far From Heaven, Edward Lachman; Gerry, Harris Savides; Interview With the Assassin, Richard Rutkowski; Narc, Alex Nepomniaschy; Personal Velocity, Ellen Kuras

Best Foreign Film: Bloody Sunday,The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat), The Piano Teacher (La Pianiste), Time Out (L'Emploi du Temps), Y Tu Mama Tambien

Best Documentary: Bowling for Columbine, The Cockettes, Devil's Playground, How to Draw a Bunny, Stevie

Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve Someone to Watch Award: Eric Eason, Manito; Eitan Gorlin, The Holy Land; Przemyslaw Reut, Paradox Lake

DirecTV/IFC Truer Than Fiction Award: Jeff Blitz, Snowbound; Jennifer Dworkin, Love & Diane; Eugene Jarecki, The Trials of Henry Kissinger; Mark Moskowitz, Stone Reader

Motorola Producers Award: Effie T. Brown, Jesse Scolaro & Allen Bain, Eden H. Wurmfeld