39th Spirit Awards: My Personal Ballot

by Cláudio Alves

The Film Independent Spirit Awards are almost here! While one waits away the hours before the ceremony starts retrieving a tradition from the Film Experience past feels like a good idea. So, here goes my ballot as a Spirit Awards voter, but only in the film categories since I'm much more unsure in the TV categories – evaluating only from submitted episodes of shows I don't watch feels tricky, especially when it doesn't look like folks submitted their best option. Even in film, many of the nominees were unfamiliar to me, making the voting process an experience marked by discovery. 

There were a lot of beautiful surprises, resulting in a varied ballot. At least, I hope it reads that way, though my absolute favorite contender is easy to suss out…

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Sundance: A24’s Very Hyped ‘All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt’

By Abe Friedtanzer

A24 is known for taking leaps of faith on many of their projects. Their films aren't necessarily for everyone, but there’s something unique about most of them. That’s most definitely the case with All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, a drama that makes no effort to present its events in chronological order. In between any given screening at Sundance, all anyone is talking about is how incredible this film is. Whether or not future audiences have a similar response \will be dependent on their ability to appreciate its glacial pace and its unconventional approach to storytelling, one that reminds very much of Terrence Malick, which is not a light statement…

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