Some of our favorite actors and directors have been nominated for Independent Spirit Awards, an annual award given exclusively to honor independent films and their filmmakers.
Nominees were announced November 25, according to The Source, and among them was Justin Simien for his first screenplay Dear White People.
Ava DuVernay received a nomination for Best Director for her upcoming biopic Selma. David Oyewolo and Carmen Ejogo were both nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for their portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King in Selma, which snagged a Best Feature and Best Cinematography nomination of its own.
Rapper-actor Andre “3000” Benjamin also got a nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of the late rock-star Jimi Hendrix in the film Jimi: All By My Side.
The Independent Spirit Awards will be given to honor these pioneers in filmmaking on February 21.