In The Envelope: An Awards Podcast

As this year’s film awards season nears its conclusion, we’re diving deep into one of its most fabulous, and essential, ceremonies: the Film Independent Spirit Awards! Founded in the 1980s as the Independent Feature Project/West by producers looking to foster cinematic visions outside of Hollywood’s traditional studio system, Film Independent offers year-round resources, programming, and events—all for filmmakers, by filmmakers. The Spirit Awards honoring small-budget indie artistry, usually held each year just before the Oscars on the beach at Santa Monica, will air its 34th ceremony April 22 in a special virtual presentation hosted by Melissa Villaseñor: https://bit.ly/3sm8UsL “Our mission is quite simple,” Film Independent president Josh Welsh tells Backstage. “We champion creative independence in visual storytelling. We support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision.” A former actor who began at the organization as a volunteer, Josh is the perfect guide to all t