The 13th Annual Independent Spirit Awards (kinda like the Oscars for Indies) aired on the Independent Film Channel and was damn entertaining. Film Threat was on the scene to see Robert Duvall’s “The Apostle” sweep with three awards (Best Male Lead, Best Feature, Best Director). Upon accepting his award for Best Screenplay, Kevin Smith stunned the crowd with an admission that he has a small penis (so that explains all the dick jokes, more on this developing story as details roll in). Scott Saunders lugged around his five-foot high, cardboard $20,000 check for the “Swatch Someone to Watch Award” to the after parties and succeeded in attracting the eye of every woman in the room. Hey, a man with $20,000 on him!
Other winners included: ^ BEST FIRST FEATURE: “Eve’s Bayou,” Director: Kasi Lemmons, Producers: Caldecot Chubb and Samuel L. Jackson ^ BEST DEBUT PERFORMANCE: Aaron Eckhart, “In the Company of Men” ^ BEST FEMALE LEAD: Julie Christie, “Afterglow” ^ BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE: Debbi Morgan, “Eve’s Bayou” ^ BEST MALE LEAD: Robert Duvall, “The Apostle” ^ BEST SUPPORTING MALE: Jason Lee, “Chasing Amy” ^ BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY: Neil LaBute, “In the Company of Men” ^ BEST CINEMATOGRAPHER: Declan Quinn, “Kama Sutra” ^ BEST FOREIGN FILM: “The Sweet Hereafter,” Director: Atom Egoyan ^ TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD (documentary): “Soul in the Houl,” Director: Danielle Gardner; “Fast, Cheap and Out of Control,” Director: Errol Morris ^ THE RALPH LAUREN PRODUCERS AWARD: Scott Macaulay and Robin O’Hara, “Habit” ^ THE SWATCH SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD: Scott Saunders
