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January 6, 2018 – Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the LA Film Festival, announced the winners of its five Spirit Awards filmmaker grants today at its annual Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch held at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood. John Cho (Star Trek<\/i>,\u00a0Columbus<\/i>,\u00a0Search<\/i>) and Alia Shawkat (Search Party<\/i>,\u00a0Blaze<\/i>,\u00a0Duck Butter<\/i>) co-hosted the event and handed out the honors.<\/p>\n
“This year we are giving out $150,000 in cash grants to a group of\u00a0remarkably talented writers, directors, and producers,” said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “The\u00a0Spirit Awards grants are designed to\u00a0provide critical support to these filmmakers, recognizing them for past accomplishments and helping them to\u00a0develop new work.”<\/p>\n
Chlo\u00e9 Zhao received the inaugural Bonnie Award<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/b>Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the Bonnie Award recognizes a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant sponsored by American Airlines. Finalists for the award were So Yong Kim and Lynn Shelton.<\/p>\n Jonathan Olshefski, director of\u00a0Quest<\/i>, received the Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award<\/strong>. The award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not received significant recognition. The award is in its 23rd year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by the Jeep brand for the first year. Finalists for the award were\u00a0Shevaun Mizrahi, director of\u00a0Distant Constellation\u00a0<\/i>and Jeff Unay, director of\u00a0The Cage Fighter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Justin Chon,\u00a0<\/i>director of\u00a0Gook<\/i>, received the Kiehl\u2019s Someone to Watch Award<\/strong>. The award recognizes talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition. The award is in its 24th year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl\u2019s Since 1851 for the fourth consecutive year. Finalists for the award were\u00a0Amman Abbasi, director of\u00a0Dayveon\u00a0<\/i>and Kevin Phillips, director of\u00a0Super Dark Times.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n