2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards NY Screening Series Kicks-Off Today

The Screen Actors Guild Foundation in partnership with Film Independent, the Independent Filmmaker Project, and the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway are teaming up again to host the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards New York Screening Series from January 16 to February 6.

The four organizations kicked-off the series with an opening party to celebrate excellence in independent filmmaking on Tuesday evening, January 15 at NYIT Auditorium on Broadway with over 250 IFP members and industry professionals in attendance. The host committee included Spirit Awards nominated actor Ann Dowd and nominated filmmaker Ira Sachs, as well as actors Zachary Booth ('Keep the Lights On') and Ari Graynor ('Celeste and Jesse Forever').

"As independent filmmakers, we are actually deeply dependent on each other. The Spirit Awards are a public expression of those bonds, the intricate set of relationships and histories that we filmmakers depend on to make our most personal work," said Ira Sachs, Director of 'Keep the Lights On' and 2013 Spirit Awards Nominee.

"We are pleased to once again co-host the Spirit Awards New York Screening Series with these outstanding partners," said Jill Seltzer, Executive Director, SAG Foundation. "We support independent film and want to ensure that the industry thrives so that performers have the opportunity to stretch the boundaries of creativity and produce excellent work."

"It's important to Film Independent that the voting members of the Spirit Awards receive as many opportunities to view the Spirit Award-nominated films as possible, especially in a theatrical setting," said Sean McManus, Co-President, Film Independent. "With the terrific support of the SAG Foundation, our voting members, including IFP members, will get to attend the Spirit Award screenings at the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway for another year."

"IFP is always excited to partner with Film Independent, the SAG Foundation and the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway for the Independent Spirit Award New York screenings, giving us an important opportunity to shine a light on some of the year's best in diverse and independent work," said Joana Vicente, Executive Director, Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP).

"NYIT is proud to once again host this world-class event and partner with other leading organizations to make this screening series widely accessible," said NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D. "Sharing information and facilitating the free flow of ideas through film aligns with our mission in global higher education."

The exclusive, Film Independent and IFP members-only New York Screening Series will be held at the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway, the official host venue for the series. This marks the 28th year of the Film Independent Spirit Awards and the fourth consecutive year the SAG Foundation has teamed up with Film Independent.

Click here for the 2013 New York screening schedule.

ABOUT THE FILM INDEPENDENT AND THE SPIRIT AWARDS

Film Independent is a non-profit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent's Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, and constituents, is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional, or a film lover.

With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent's Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year-round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent's signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry. Film Independent also produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, showcasing the best of American and international cinema and the Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, a year-round, weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.

Film Independent produces the Spirit Awards now in its 28^th year. The Spirit Awards is an annual celebration honoring artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers who embody independence and originality. The Spirit Awards recognizes the achievements of American independent filmmakers and promotes the finest independent films of the year to a wider audience. Awards are given in the following categories: Best Feature, Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, Best Director, Best Screenplay, John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for a budget under $500,000), Best Male Lead, Best Female Lead, Best Supporting Male, Best Supporting Female, Best Cinematography, Best International Film, Best Documentary, and the Robert Altman Award. The Filmmaker Grants include the Piaget Producers Award, Someone to Watch Award, Stella Artois Truer Than Fiction Award and Jameson FIND Your Audience Award. The Film Independent Spirit Awards are sponsored by Premier Sponsors Piaget and Jameson Irish Whiskey and Lincoln and Principal Sponsor Stella Artois. WireImage is the Official Photographer, PR Newswire is the Official Breaking News Service of Film Independent and American Airlines is the Official Airline.

For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.

ABOUT INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER PROJECT

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) is the nation's oldest and largest not-for-profit advocacy organization for independent filmmakers. Since its debut at the 1979 New York Film Festival, IFP has supported the production of over 7,000 films and offered resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers, providing an opportunity for many diverse voices to be heard. IFP believes that independent films enrich the universal language of cinema, seeding the global culture with new ideas, kindling awareness, and fostering activism. The organization championed the early work of pioneering independent filmmakers Charles Burnett, Todd Haynes, Mira Nair, Michael Moore, Joel and Ethan Coen, Kevin Smith, and Todd Solondz. IFP continues to play a vital role in launching first films of many of today's rising stars on the independent scene including Debra Granik ("Down to the Bone"), Miranda July ("Me, You and Everyone We Know"), and Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden ("Half Nelson").

IFP represents a network of 10,000 filmmakers in New York City and around the world and fosters the development of 350 feature and documentary films each year. Through its workshops, seminars, conferences, mentorships, and Filmmaker Magazine, IFP schools its members in the art, technology, and business of independent filmmaking. The year-round program includes Independent Film Week, Envision, The Cross-Media Forum, The Gotham Awards, and the Independent Filmmaker Labs. IFP's programs promote diverse voices in independent film by working to include racial, ethnic, religious, ideological, gender and sexual diversity. IFP, often in collaboration with other cultural institutions, builds audiences by hosting premieres and special screenings.

For more information, visit ifp.org.

ABOUT NYIT AUDITORIUM ON BROADWAY

A state-of-the-art event space just off Columbus Circle, the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway can accommodate a range of events, from conferences to film screenings, executive meetings to classy cocktail parties. A versatile, bi-level layout boasts a 262-seat auditorium and two reception areas including a glass-façade atrium and a lower-level concourse.

For more information, visit nyit.edu/aob.

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) is a non-profit independent, private institution of higher education with more than 14,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world.

For more information, visit nyit.edu.

ABOUT SAG FOUNDATION

The Screen Actors Guild Foundation, formed in 1985, is an educational, humanitarian and philanthropic nonprofit organization committed to enhancing the lives of performers by investing in programs which help them in their professional endeavors and the communities in which they live.

The SAG Foundation is independent from SAG-AFTRA and offers substantive no-cost services and programs to SAG-AFTRA members, their families and the public at large. These include instructional workshops, career empowering seminars, scholarships, emergency and catastrophic health care assistance and award-winning children's literacy programs: BookPALSand Storyline Online.

The Foundation relies solely on the support of grants, corporate sponsorships, bequests and individual contributions to maintain its programs and create new ones in its mission to assist, educate and inspire performers.

For more information, visit sagfoundation.org.