Film Independent Spirit Awards 2012: Full Winners List

Film Independent gave out its Spirit Awards for the 27th time on Saturday afternoon in Santa Monica, Calif.

While the telecast of the ceremony -- hosted by a ribald Seth Rogen -- won't happen until 10 p.m. EST on IFC (tape delaying an awards ceremony in the age of Twitter = SMART!), Moviefone is happy to pass along the winners. As you may have guessed, "The Artist" found a way to dominate, with Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Shailene Woodley and "Margin Call" taking home hardware as well.

Image Credit: http://celebrity-gossip.net

Check out the full list of Spirit Award honorees below.

BEST FEATURE
50/50 Producers: Evan Goldberg, Ben Karlin, Seth Rogen
Beginners Producers: Miranda de Pencier, Lars Knudsen, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Jay Van Hoy
Drive Producers: Michel Litvak, John Palermo, Marc Platt, Gigi Pritzker, Adam Siegel
Take Shelter Producers: Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
WINNER: The Artist Producer: Thomas Langmann
The Descendants Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

BEST DIRECTOR
WINNER: Michel Hazanavicius The Artist
Mike Mills Beginners
Jeff Nichols Take Shelter
Alexander Payne The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn Drive

BEST SCREENPLAY
Joseph Cedar Footnote
Michel Hazanavicius The Artist
Tom McCarthy Win Win
Mike Mills Beginners
WINNER: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash The Descendants

BEST FIRST FEATURE
Another Earth Director: Mike Cahill
Producers: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker
In the Family Director: Patrick Wang
Producers: Robert Tonino, Andrew van den Houten, Patrick Wang
WINNER: Margin Call Director: J.C. Chandor
Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto
Martha Marcy May Marlene Director: Sean Durkin
Producers: Antonio Campos, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Josh Mond
Natural Selection Director: Robbie Pickering
Producers: Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling Another Earth
J.C. Chandor Margin Call
Patrick deWitt Terri
Phil Johnston Cedar Rapids
WINNER: Will Reiser 50/50

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
Bellflower Writer/Director: Evan Glodell
Producers: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw
Circumstance Writer/Director: Maryam Keshavarz
Producers: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa M. Lee
Hello Lonesome Writer/Director/Producer: Adam Reid
WINNER: Pariah Writer/Director: Dee Rees
Producer: Nekisa Cooper
The Dynamiter Writer: Brad Inglesby
Director: Matthew Gordon
Producers: Kevin Abrams, Matthew Gordon, Merilee Holt, Art Jones, Mike Jones, Nate Tuck, Amile Wilson

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Lauren Ambrose Think of Me
Rachael Harris Natural Selection
Adepero Oduye Pariah
Elizabeth Olsen Martha Marcy May Marlene
WINNER: Michelle Williams My Week with Marilyn

BEST MALE LEAD
Demián Bichir A Better Life
WINNER: Jean Dujardin The Artist
Ryan Gosling Drive
Woody Harrelson Rampart
Michael Shannon Take Shelter

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jessica Chastain Take Shelter
Anjelica Huston 50/50
Janet McTeer Albert Nobbs
Harmony Santana Gun Hill Road
WINNER: Shailene Woodley The Descendants

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Albert Brooks Drive
John Hawkes Martha Marcy May Marlene
WINNER: Christopher Plummer Beginners
John C. Reilly Cedar Rapids
Corey Stoll Midnight in Paris

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Joel Hodge Bellflower
Benjamin Kasulke The Off Hours
Darius Khondji Midnight in Paris
WINNER: Guillaume Schiffman The Artist
Jeffrey Waldron The Dynamiter

BEST DOCUMENTARY
An African Election Director/Producer: Jarreth Merz
Bill Cunningham New York Director: Richard Press
Producer: Philip Gefter
WINNER: The Interrupters Director/Producer: Steve James
Producer: Alex Kotlowitz
The Redemption of General Butt Naked Director/Producers: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion
We Were Here Director/Producer: David Weissman

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
WINNER: A Separation
(Iran) Director: Asghar Farhadi
Melancholia
(Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany) Director: Lars von Trier
Shame
(UK) Director: Steve McQueen
The Kid With a Bike
(Belgium/France/Italy) Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Tyrannosaur
(UK) Director: Paddy Considine

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD
Chad Burris Mosquita y Mari
WINNER: Sophia Lin Take Shelter
Josh Mond Martha Marcy May Marlene

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Simon Arthur Silver Tongues
WINNER: Mark Jackson Without
Nicholas Ozeki Mamitas

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
WINNER: Where Soldiers Come From
Hell and Back Again
Bombay Beach

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
WINNER: Margin Call Director: J.C. Chandor
Casting Director: Tiffany Little Canfield, Bernard Telsey
Ensemble Cast: Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci

 source: HuffingtonPost

Now, women can retain their maiden name (India)

MUMBAI: Women in Maharashtra have another reason to celebrate as International Women's Day approaches.

It is now perfectly legal for a woman to retain her maiden name after marriage. The Bombay high court recently amended a crucial rule under the Family Courts Act to prevent a woman from being compelled to file any marriage-related proceedings only in her husband's surname, thus offering relief to many seeking a divorce. It will also help a married woman file proceedings in other courts under her maiden name, say legal experts. 

Image Credit: weddingbycolor.com

The radical rule says that "a wife who has not changed her name after marriage, by publishing in the official gazette, may continue to use her maiden name". The law is clear now: a woman is not obliged to take her husband's name after marriage.

A woman can file proceedings either in her maiden name or another name she may have adopted as long as it is officially registered in the gazette. If she retains her maiden name, a woman cannot be forced by a court to write her name as her first name followed by her husband's first name and his surname while making a marriage-related petition.

Flavia Agnes of the women's rights activist group Majlis, whose efforts led to this change, sees the amendment as a "progressive new addition to the law for women". Majlis' efforts ensured that a woman can continue to use her maiden name and surname if she so desires after marriage for all official purposes. She is not bound to use her husband's name and can initiate proceedings in any court using her maiden name. The 'after divorce' status, meanwhile, does not force a woman to revert to her maiden surname if she had been using her husband's surname all through the marriage. She can continue with the ex-husband's surname, unless her intention is to defraud him, as was held by the Supreme Court.

Unknown to even lawyers, the new law stands published in the state gazette since last November, after the Bombay high court amended a crucial rule under the Family Courts Act in September 2011.

The law has been hailed by women's rights activists and lawyers. "A woman cannot be compelled while seeking divorce to adopt her married surname if she hadn't been using it, just as she cannot be compelled to drop her married name and revert to maiden surname after divorce, if she had been," said a lawyer.

"Prior to the amendment, the Bandra family court staff would not accept divorce or related applications from hundreds of women until they added the first name of their estranged husband as their middle name, and also his surname," said Agnes. The court staff would compel the quarrelling couple to bear only one surname-the husband's-in the court case to be filed.

A year ago, Majlis took up the cause with the Bombay high court because it supervises functioning of all lower courts. The issue, said Majlis, was that in Maharashtra, many communities practised the custom of a new wife changing even her first name after marriage and adopting her husband's full name. But other communities from states across India do not usually follow this custom, though it's common for women to adopt the husband's surname.

Besides, an increasing number of urban women prefer to retain and go by their complete maiden name after marriage to preserve their individual identity. "But when they approach the family court to initiate a divorce dispute or a plea for protection from domestic violence few years later or after decades of living with their maiden name, the insistence by court staff to adopt their husband's name comes as a shock and sends their litigation-induced stress levels soaring," said a Mumbai family law lawyer.

Majlis activists said the arbitrary practice causes immense harassment to women litigants". "There is no logic in making women adopt the husband's name while seeking divorce when they hadn't used it all along," said Agnes.

The NGO informed the HC that the rigid and pervading practice of enabling a woman to file for divorce only after incorporating her husband's names was evident in appeals filed before higher courts too. The HC swung into action and its Registrar (legal & Research) informed Majlis on February 10, 2012 that it had amended the rule last September to facilitate greater freedom for women under the Family Court rules of 1988. It amended and added a proviso to Rule 5, which deals with the filing of cases in the family court.



The Law On Names

After Marriage

* A wife may continue to use her maiden name if she has not changed it officially after marriage

* A wife can file for divorce in her maiden surname; married surname; any other name she may have adopted and officially gazetted

After Divorce

* A woman can continue using her former married surname, except if her intention is to defraud the ex 

source: Times of India

Is Patti Grandidge the new girlfriend of Jericho Rosales? (Philippines)

Jericho Rosales admitted of having a girlfriend at the moment. But, he refuses to name this new girl on public. He did, however, gave clues as to the identity of the new apple of his eyes.

Interviewed by Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP), Rosales gave the first clue about his girlfriend. He said that she is in the business but not an actress. She is actually a host.

Image Credit: http://www.pinoystarblog.com

 

On a second interview, still by PEP, the actor gave another clue. He named the show and station where his girlfriend is currently hosting. It is in the ETC network in a fashion lifestyle show, Etcetera. He also said that she is Pinay and is very cheerful. Also, Rosales said that they have a common interest: surfing.
 
 The said show only has 2 hosts: Patti Grandidge and Kim Jones. Kim Jones is only 1/4 Pinay which only left Grandidge in the equation.

Images Credit: IamJammed

So is she Rosales’ mysterious new girl?

  

Who is Patti Grandidge?
Patti Grandidge is a 24-year old stunning commercial model whose first experience in hosting was at Etcetera. She has done Sunsilk in 2005 and Globe.

Grandidge own a cupcake business, the Sweet Patti Cakes, which is currently blooming.

She also maintains a food blog which showcases her natural interest in foods and baking. She loves baking and traveling the most.

source: IamJammed

NASCAR: James Buescher wins Nationwide race 2012 at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- James Buescher couldn't find a drafting partner on the final lap of Saturday's Drive 4COPD 300 Nationwide Series race.

It was the best thing that could have happened to him.

Buescher, who was running 11th going into turn four, took advantage of a chain-reaction wreck that took out the leaders - including Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - hugged the yellow line under caution and coasted to victory at Daytona International Speedway for the first Nationwide Series win of his career.

Image Credit: autoweek.com

Brad Keselowski avoided the collisions and finished second, while Sadler, who had been pushing Stewart, was third.

"Nobody wanted to work with me at the end there," said Buescher, 21, and a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series regular. "It was like we were all on our own in a tandem draft. We just got the best draft we could off of everybody. I saw them get together up there … I went to the bottom and somehow squeaked through and dodged all the bullets."

The field was frozen after the caution came out, and Buescher wasn't sure he had won after leading his only lap of the race. Or quarter-lap to be precise.

"It's hard to describe the feeling when you make it through the wreck and you're the only guy," he said. "You don't see anybody in front of you coming to the checkered flag. It's pretty incredible."

The race was marred by several big wrecks as drivers learned to cope with the new rules packages designed to encourage pack racing instead of tandem racing on the restrictor-plate, superspeedway.

The big one came on lap 104 of the 120-lap race when 20 cars were involved; and a 14-car pileup ensued a lap later. Pole-sitter Danica Patrick was knocked off the track after a shove from Cole Whitt, her teammate at JR Motorsports, sending Patrick into the wall and consigning her to a 38th-place finish.

The Busch brothers appeared on the brink of a 1-2 finish when Logano, being pushed by Bayne, made his move on the Busches, triggering the late collision.

That allowed Buescher, who finished 17th in the trucks race on Friday night and was third in the trucks series last year, to post his first victory since winning back-to-back ARCA wins at Daytona and Kentucky in 2009.
"It's been a while, but I can't think of another racetrack that I'd rather it be at," Buescher said. "Daytona is historical. Everybody knows that. Every driver dreams of winning here.

"My goal as a young driver was to be able to race at Daytona in NASCAR. I've done that several times, but now we finally won here. I don't know how to put it in words."

source: http://www.sacbee.com

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/25/4291167/buescher-a-surprise-winner-in.html#storylink=cpy

Derek Ramsay to transfer to TV5? (Philippines)

Kapamilya actor Derek Ramsay admitted in various interviews that he has a standing offer from the Kapatid network TV5, expressing disappointments to his mother network, ABS-CBN. His contract with the Kapamilya network will expire this February. The hunk actor said in an interview with Manila Standard Today that the only thing that is stopping him from signing up with the Manny V. Pangilinan media outfit is the promise of ABS-CBN big bosses to talk with his parents, whom he gives his utmost respect. But he believes that even after his parents talked to the big guns of the Kapamilya network, their decision would be the same. And that is to give them the blessings to go and seek a place where he can be happier.

Image Credit: jmthebest.com

“I am giving them this last chance,” Derek said with a tinge of disappointment. “I had been very cooperative with them since day one, yet I didn’t feel the network needed me that bad,” said the actor.

Rumors have it that he is slated to host the Pinoy version of ‘Temptation Island: Dare to Win’, which will soon air on TV5.

source: IamJammed

National League MVP : Ryan Braun blames media for 'nightmare'

The National League MVP reports to spring training and declares he has been vindicated after his 50-game suspension for a positive drug test was overturned.

Saying "my name has been dragged through the mud," National League most valuable player Ryan Braun reported to spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix on Friday and declared he had been vindicated, a day after his 50-game suspension for a positive drug test was overturned by an arbitrator.

Image Credit: http://www.latimes.com

Braun's teammates sat in the stands, in uniform, as he held a news conference on the field at the team's training complex. Braun said that, since what was supposed to be a confidential appeal was played out in public, "I've lived this nightmare every day for the last four months."

Braun detailed how the urine sample he provided on Oct. 1, the day the Brewers opened the playoffs, was not delivered to FedEx until Oct. 3. Baseball's drug agreement calls for samples to be delivered to FedEx on the day they are collected.

"At the end of the day the truth prevailed," he said. "I'm a victim of a process that completely broke down and failed in the way that it was applied to me in the case. As players, we're held to a standard of 100% perfection regarding the program, and everybody else associated with that program should be held to the same standard. We're a part of a process where you're 100% guilty until proven innocent. It's the opposite of the American judicial system."

Braun learned Oct. 19 his sample was positive for elevated testosterone, which he said was at a ratio that was the highest ever recorded in baseball's testing program.

ESPN reported the positive test in December.

"I tried to handle the entire situation with honor, with integrity, with class, with dignity and with professionalism because that's who I am and that's how I've always lived my life," he said. "If I had done this intentionally or unintentionally, I'd be the first one to step up and I say I did it. By no means am I perfect, but if I've ever made any mistakes in my life, I've taken responsibility for my actions. I truly believe in my heart and I would bet my life that the substance never entered my body at any point."

He criticized the media for leaking the positive test, saying there had been "many inaccurate, erroneous, incomplete and fabricated stories."
 

 source: http://www.latimes.com

J.K. Rowling New Book Grows Up with Little, Brown and Company

After a five year writing hiatus, JK Rowling, author of the wildly successful Harry Potter series, has returned to put pen to paper once again. Booksellers up and down the country will be rejoicing as Rowling has confirmed she has plans to write a new novel. Unfortunately for Potter fans, this new book will not be a continuation of the series, this time it will be for adults.

Image Credit: http://www.boomtron.com

To mark her return to writing, Rowling has not only entered new territory with an adult book, but she has also changed her publisher. According to New York Times Rowling has moved away from Bloomsbury in the UK and Scholastic in the U.S and has joined forces with Little, Brown which will cover the UK and the U.S publishing for her new novel. Little, Brown Publisher David Shelley said of Rowling, “She is one of the best storytellers in the world…I am looking forward enormously to helping bring her new novel for adults to her fans and admirers, and to introducing her writing to new readers the world over.”

When talking about her her new book and her return to the writing world Rowling said, “Although I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series, which has been published so brilliantly by Bloomsbury and my other publishers around the world. The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry’s success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher. I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life.”

Although author and publisher are staying tight lipped about the title, release date and the genre of the new book, it will no doubt be a best seller. However, the transition from kids books to adult books can be difficult even for established writers – or self made billionaire writers. For example, Margaret Wise Brown the author of the classic Good Night Moon tried for years to write stories for The New Yorker. Will the same fate befall Rowling as she makes the move to adult books?

Rowling fans have been thirsting for more from the author ever since the Harry Potter series ended in 2007.

Aside from The Tales of Beedle the Bard which published in 2007 as well, the ink has been dry for the author. Fans won’t have to wait too long to know more about the novel though as an announcement for the details of Rowling’s new book should be made later this year. And unlike having to wait for the Harry Potter e-books to come out with the deployment of Pottermore, when her new novel debuts the e-books will come out at the exact same time.

source: http://www.boomtron.com