Birdman Leads Nominees in the Independent Spirit Awards

Nov 26, 2014 07:25 PM EST

Birdman, the existential black comedy about a forgotten Hollywood actor attempting to make a comeback, leads this year's Independent Spirit Awards with six nominations.

Meanwhile, thriller Nightcrawler, coming-of-age film Boyhood and civil rights drama Selma each scored five nominations.

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Birdman, grabbed the following nominations: Best Actor for Michael Keaton, Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Edward Norton and Emma Stone, respectively, and Best Director for Alejandro G. Inarritu.

Birdman has to wrestle with four other contenders for the Best Feature price.

IFC Films' Boyhood," Paramount Pictures' Selma and Sony Pictures Classics films Whiplash and Love Is Strange have also scored nominations for the category.

Whiplash, a drama that centers on the life of a jazz drummer attending one of the best music schools in the country, scored four nominations. The film has already won the top prize at the Sundance Film Festival. The film got nominated for Best Feature, Best Editing, Best Director for Damien Chazelle and Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons.

The Independent Spirit Awards is held to honor the year's top independent films. It is usually schedule a day before the Oscars night and is considered a predictor of who might win at the Academy.

For example, 12 Years a Slave, which won at the Independent Spirit Awards and also grabbed the Oscars' best picture win.

Here are the nominations for the award's top honors.

BEST FEATURE

Boyhood

Love Is Strange

Selma

Whiplash

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST DIRECTOR

Damien Chazelle, Whiplash

Ava DuVernay, Selma

Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

David Zellner, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter

Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST ACTRESS

Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant

Rinko Kikuchi, Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter

Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Tilda Swinton, Only Lovers Left Alive

Jenny Slate, Obvious Child

BEST ACTOR

André Benjamin, Jimi: All Is By My Side

Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler

Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

John Lithgow, Love Is Strange

David Oyelowo, Selma

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year

Carmen Ejogo, Selma

Andrea Suarez Paz, Stand Clear of the Closing Doors

Emma Stone, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Riz Ahmed, Nightcrawler

Ethan Hawke, Boyhood

Alfred Molina, Love is Strange

Edward Norton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

TagsBirdman, independent spirit awards