The Artist and Take Shelter Lead Independent Spirit Award Nominees

It's that time of year for the Independent Spirit Awards to recognize the best and brightest indie films. Today, the panel announced their nominations with The Artist and Take Shelter leading the pack with five nods each. Click ahead and start placing bets on who will take home the awards this February.

Best Feature

50/50

Beginners

Drive

Take Shelter

The Artist

The Descendants

Best Director

Mike Mills, Beginners

Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive

Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Alexander Payne, The Descendants

Best First Feature

Another Earth

In The Family

Margin Call

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Natural Selection

Best Male Lead

Demian Bichir, A Better Life

Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Ryan Gosling, Drive

Woody Harrelson, Rampart

Michael Shannon, Take Shelter

Best Female Lead

Lauren Ambrose, Think of Me

Rachel Harris, Natural Selection

Adepero Oduye, Pariah

Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Best Supporting Male

Albert Brooks, Drive

John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Christopher Plummer, Beginners

John C. Reilly, Cedar Rapids

Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris

Best Supporting Female

Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter

Anjelica Huston, 50/50

Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs

Harmony Santana, Gun Hill Road

Shailene Woodley, The Descendants

John Cassavetes Award for films made under $500,000

Bellflower

Circumstance

Hello Lonesome

Pariah

The Dynamiter

Best Documentary

An African Selection

Bill Cunningham New York

The Interrupters

The Redemption of General Butt Naked

We Were Here

Best Cinematography

Joel Hodge, Bellflower

Benjamin Kasulke, The Off Hours

Darius Khondji, Midnight in Paris

Guillaume Shiffman, The Artist

Jeffrey Waldron, The Dynamiter

Best First Screenplay

Mike Cahill & Brit Marling, Another Earth

J.C. Chandor, Margin Call

Patrick DeWitt, Terri

Phil Johnston, Cedar Rapids

Will Reiser, 50/50

Best Screenplay

Joseph Cedar, Footnote

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist

Tom McCarthy, Win Win

Mike Mills, Beginners

Alexander Payne, The Descendants

Best International Film

A Separation

Melancholia

Shame

The Kid With a Bike

Tyrannosaur

Piaget Producer's Award

Chad Burris, Mosquita y Mari

Sophia Lin, Take Shelter

Josh Mond, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Someone to Watch Award

Simon Arthur, Silver Tongues

Mark Jackson, Without

Nicholas Ozeki, Mamitas

Truer Than Fiction Award

Heather Courtney, Where Soldiers Come From

Danfung Dennis, Hell and Back Again

Alma Ha'rel, Bombay Beach

Robert Altman Award for ensemble

Margin Call (Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci)