28th Independent Spirit Awards

The 28th Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2012, were presented on February 23, 2013. The nominations were announced on November 27, 2012. The ceremony was hosted by Andy Samberg.

John Cassavetes Award
Middle of Nowhere
 * Breakfast with Curtis
 * The Color Wheel
 * Mosquita y Mari
 * Starlet

Truer Than Fiction Award
Peter Nicks – The Waiting Room
 * Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel – Leviathan
 * Jason Tippet and Elizabeth Mims – Only the Young

Piaget Producers Award
Mynette Louie – Stones in the Sun
 * Derrick Tseng – Prince Avalanche
 * Alicia Van Couvering – Nobody Walks

Someone to Watch Award
Adam Leon – Gimme the Loot
 * David Fenster – Pincus
 * Rebecca Thomas – Electrick Children

Robert Altman Award

 * Starlet – Sean Baker, Julia Kim, Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Karren Karagulian, Stella Maeve, and James Ransone

Special Distinction Award

 * Harris Savides

Find Your Audience Award
Laura Colella – Breakfast with Curtis
 * Sara Lamm and Mary Wigmore – Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives
 * John Mitchell and Jeremy Kipp Walker – The History of Future Folk