Film Independent awards four grants

Today was the Film Independent Spirit Awards Grants and Nominees Brunch at the BOA Steakhouse on the Sunset Strip in anticipation of the upcoming Indie Spirit Awards. During the Brunch, Film Independent handed out four grants that have previously been awarded during the Indie Spirit Awards ceremony.

The largest award of the day, the Jameson FIND Your Audience Award to assist a filmmaker(s) build the audience for their film, went to Benjamin Murray and Alyssa Nahmias for Unfinished Spaces. The award comes with a grant of $40,000.

Other grant winners were Sophia Lin who won the Piaget Producers Award for Take Shelter; Heather Courtney who won the Nokia Truer Than Fiction Award for Where Soldiers Come From; and Mark Jackson who won the Audi Someone to Watch Award for Without.

This is the 19th year that Film Independent has awarded grants. During that time, they have assisted 50 filmmakers.

The Film Independent Spirit Awards take place on February 25, the day before the Academy Awards. The event will be hosted by Canadian Seth Rogen.

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Winners of the 2012 Film Independent Grants

Jameson FIND Your Audience Award ($40,000)
Benjamin Murray and Alyssa Nahmias, Unfinished Spaces 

Piaget Producers Award ($25,000)

Sophia Lin, Take Shelter


Nokia Truer Than Fiction Award ($25,000)
Heather Courtney, Where Soldiers Come From

Audi Someone to Watch Award ($20,000)
Mark Jackson, Without