Editor's blog

Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, announced today that Chaz Ebert and celebrated film critic Roger Ebert have established the Chaz & Roger Ebert Truer Than Fiction Award at the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards with a gift through their family foundation.  The 15th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.  The award also includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant, funded by Chaz and Roger Ebert, encouraging the recipient to pursue a career in the film industry. 

This year's nominees are Natalia Almada for El General; Jessica Oreck for Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo; and Bill Ross & Turner Ross for 45365.  Last year's winner was Margaret Brown for The Order of Myths.

"Because Chaz and Roger Ebert are long-time attendees of the Spirit Awards and tireless supporters of independent film, we are especially honored that these two beautiful people are providing an emerging filmmaker with the means to continue making films," said Film Independent Executive Director Dawn Hudson. 

"Documentaries are at the cutting edge of independent film right now, and new technologies are making them more immediate and observant than ever," said Roger Ebert.

Roger Ebert has been the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967.  He won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 1975, and his reviews are now syndicated in more than 200 newspapers in the U.S., Canada, England, Japan and Greece.  For 23 years, he co-hosted "Siskel & Ebert" with the late Gene Siskel, and was co-host of "Ebert & Roeper" with Richard Roeper for 6 years.  Ebert is the author of more than 15 books, including the best-sellers The Great Movies, Ebert's Bigger Little Movie Glossary, the annual volumes of Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook, and the Norton anthology Roger Ebert's Book of Film.  For years he has attended film festivals around the world - as a critic and a juror - and launched his own "Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival" in 1999, an annual event presented every April in the historic Virginia Theater in his hometown of Champaign-Urbana, IL. 

The 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards will air live and uncut on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. PST/11:00 p.m. EST on IFC (Independent Film Channel), with the milestone ceremony taking place at LA Live's event deck in downtown Los Angeles.  Acclaimed comedian Eddie Izzard will serve as Master of Ceremonies.  IFC.com will deliver up-to-the-minute news and video on the event, including articles, lists, interviews with nominees, and more.  In addition, SpiritAwards.com and a dedicated Spirit Awards channel on Babelgum.com will deliver winner updates and photos throughout the course of the ceremony, followed by red carpet and thank you cam interviews the next day.  For archival clips of the Spirit Awards, please visit www.babelgum.com/spiritawards. 

MySpace is the Official Host of the 2010 Spirit Awards red carpet live webcast, powered by Ustream, which will be shown on the official Spirit Awards MySpace profile at www.myspace.com/spiritawards.  Nominees, presenters, performers and celebrity attendees will be interviewed live for viewers to watch the excitement as it unfolds.

Premier Sponsors IFC, ELLE, Piaget, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Acura, Stella Artois, LG Electronics and Principal Sponsors Netflix and 100% Pure New Zealand sponsor this year's event.  JW Marriot is the Official Host Hotel.  The Standard, Downtown LA is a Participating Hotel and the Official Venue for the Member Viewing Party. Wire Image is the Official Photographer, American Airlines is the Official Airline Partner, and PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent. On3 Productions is producing the Official Presenter Gift Lounge and Official Ceremony Gift Bags.  FIJI Water is the Official Water of the Spirit Awards.  On behalf of every celebrity that stops by The FAGE Total Yogurt Bar backstage in the Official Presenter Gift Lounge, FAGE Total will make a significant contribution to Film Independent's signature diversity program, Project:Involve.    

ABOUT THE FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

The Film Independent Spirit Awards is a celebration honoring films made by filmmakers who embody independence and originality.  Televised in millions of homes and covered internationally by the press, the Spirit Awards has become the vanguard event in independent film, recognizing the achievements of independent filmmakers and promoting independent film to a wider audience.

Awards are given in the following categories: Best Feature, Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, Best Director, Best Screenplay, John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for a budget under $500,000), Best Male Lead, Best Female Lead, Best Supporting Male, Best Supporting Female, Best Cinematography, Best Foreign Film, Best Documentary, and the Robert Altman Award.  The Filmmaker Grants include Acura Someone to Watch Award, Chaz & Roger Ebert Truer Than Fiction Award, and Piaget Producers Award. 

For more information on submission guidelines, voting, photo and video galleries, and the history of the Spirit Awards, please visit SpiritAwards.com.

ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT

Film Independent is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent's Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, and constituents, are comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry leader, or a film lover.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers, directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent's mentorship and job placement program, Project:Involve, pairs emerging culturally diverse filmmakers with film industry professionals.

Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, celebrating the best of American and international cinema and the Spirit Awards, a celebration honoring films and filmmakers that embody independence and originality.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

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