Nominations for the 32nd annual Chlotrudis Awards were finalized by the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film’s nominating committee this past weekend, ahead of its March 21st awards ceremony to be held at the Footlight Club in Jamaica Plain. Three films surged ahead of the pack, each with seven nominations: THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE, the Shaker founder biopic starring Amanda Seyfried; TRAIN DREAMS, an atmospheric adaptation of the novella; and the surrealist Canadian feature UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE. Remarkably, these are the sophomore films for all three directors.
Coming up behind these 3 leaders was another threesome with four nominations, which were featured more heavily in the performance categories: SORRY, BABY, the writing/directing debut from Eva Victor; Nia DaCosta’s gender-flipped HEDDA, and IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT, the latest from the legendary Iranian director Jafar Parahi. In total, 47 films received nominations from the group, with 30 different countries represented.
In the Society’s most prestigious category, the Buried Treasure, 6 films were selected from the short list as nominees, most of which are the debut or second film of their directors. They are: the quirky horror-mystery DEAD MAIL, the lyric coming of age story JAZZY (the director’s sort of sequel to last year’s THE UNKNOWN COUNTRY), the tense tennis drama JULIE KEEPS QUIET, the tart Austrian person for hire comedy PEACOCK, Canada’s THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS, and the satirical drama WE STRANGERS, starring Kirby Howell-Baptiste.
Buried Treasure is the only category with eligibility requirements. Films must not have been nominated in two other categories, or earned significant box office. Members submit 3 film they feel strongly were given distributional short shrift and deserve a wider audience. Once the final ballot is set, all members voting in the category must verify that they have watched at least 5 of the nominated films.
The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film highlights its commitment to independent and foreign film in style, holding its signature event, the CHLOTRUDIS AWARDS ceremony in early spring. Its members plan in person film viewings, locally and at select film festivals, and also holds weekly film discussions of newly release independent films.
Here follows the complete list of the nominations for the 32nd Annual Chlotrudis Awards:
Best Movie
It Was Just An Accident
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Sorry, Baby
The Secret Agent
Train Dreams
Universal Language
Buried Treasure
Dead Mail
Jazzy
Julie Keeps Quiet
Peacock
The Queen of My Dreams
We Strangers
Best Director
Mary Bronstein for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Jafar Panahi for It Was Just An Accident
Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value
Kelly Reichardt for The Mastermind
Mona Fastvold for The Testament of Ann Lee
Matthew Rankin for Universal Language
Best Breakout Performance
Everett Blunck for Griffin in Summer AND The Plague
Susan Chardy for On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Abou Sangare for Souleymane’s Story
Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux for Jazzy
Nina Ye for Left-Handed Girl
Tabstha Ziniga for East of Wall
Best Performance in a Lead Role
Tom Blyth for Plainclothes
Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kathleen Chalfant for Familiar Touch
Wagner Moura for The Secret Agent
Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here
Best Performance in a Supporting Role
Naomi Ackle for Sorry, Baby
Nina Hoss for Hedda
John Leguizamo for Bob Travino Likes It
John Carroll Lynch for Sorry, Baby
William H. Macy for Train Dreams
Best Original Screenplay
The Assessment, screenplay by Nell Garfath Cox, Dave Thomas, and John Donnelly
Next Sohee screenplay by July Jung
Sorry, Baby, screenplay by Eva Victor
Twinless, screenplay by James Sweeney
Universal Language, screenplay by Ila Firouzabadi, Pirouz Nemati, Matthew Rankin
Best Adapted Screenplay
Hedda, screenplay by Nia DaCosta
No Other Choice, screenplay by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar and Jahye Lee
Nouvelle Vague, screenplay by Holly Gent, Vincen Palmo Jr., Michèle Pétin, Laetitia Masson
Sharp Corner, screenplay by Jason Buxton
Train Dreams, screenplay by Clint Bentey and Greg Kwedar
Best Use of Music in a Film
The Ballad of Wallis Island
Pavements
The History of Sound
The Testament of Ann Lee
Train Dreams
Best Editing
Caught By the Tides
Resurrection
The Plague
The Testament of Ann Lee
Train Dreams
Universal Language
Best Sound Design
Deaf President Now!
Eephus
Oceans Are the Real Continents
The Testament of Ann Lee
Train Dreams
Best Cinematography
Blue Sun Palace
Oceans Are the Real Continents
Resurrection
The Testament of Ann Lee
Train Dreams
Universal Language
Best Production Design
Hedda
Resurrection
The Assessment
The Mastermind
The Testament of Ann Lee
Universal Language
Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast
A Nice Indian Boy
It Was Just An Accident
Left-Handed Girl
Nouvelle Vague
The Testament of Ann Lee
Universal Language
Best Documentary
Come See Me in The Good Light
Deaf President Now!
No Other Land
Porcelain War
Secret Mall Apartment
The Perfect Neighbor
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THE BURIED TREASURE SHORTLIST (from which *nominees were chosen)
40 Acres
April
Bunny
Cactus Pears
*Dead Mail
Dreams
*Jazzy
*Julie Keeps Quiet
*The Queen of My Dreams
*Peacock
Plainclothes
Ponyboi
Sharp Corner
Sister Midnight
The Stringer
*We Strangers