Boston MA – Nominations for the 18th annual Chlotrudis Awards were finalized by the film group’s nominating committee last weekend.  At the top of the heap, collecting Best Film, Director, Actor and Actress nods among its 7 nominations was the silent people can’t stop talking about, THE ARTIST.

Four other films received 4 or more nominations, including fellow Best Movie nominees ANOTHERYEAR, director Mike Leigh’s latest, and the low-budget independent WEEKEND, both clear-eyed studies of relationships in today’s England, featuring acting tour de forces. The other front runner films are Lars von Trier’s dystopian MELANCHOLIA and MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, with its impressive directorial and lead actress debuts.

In all, 40 films received nominations; and 19 countries were represented, with US films making up just over 30%.  There were other multiple nominees, among them three-timers PARIAH, South Korea’s POETRY, A SEPARATION from Iran, and Takashi Miike’s 13 ASSASSINS.

In the Society’s most prestigious category, the Buried Treasure, the final nominees were THE ARBOR, a unique documentary about the late UK playwright Andrea Dunbar; the micro-budget LITTLEROCK following two Japanese siblings stranded in the US; THESE AMAZING SHADOWS, about The National Film Registry’s critical work to save historic films; the Canadian TRIGGER, an emotional study of two women’s lifelong friendship; and Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s newest, UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES.

The Buried Treasure is the only category with eligibility requirements: nominated films must have earned less than $250,000 in its U.S. theatrical run, and members can submit no more than 3 entries for films they feel strongly were given distributional short shrift and deserve a wider audience.   A shortlist is then compiled before the final vote, and those selections are published on the group’s website and in a separate press release.  Once the final ballot is set, all members voting in the category must verify that they have watched in full all of the nominated films.

The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film highlights its commitment to independent and foreign film in style, holding its CHLOTRUDIS AWARDS ceremony in early spring.  This latest edition will be held Sunday March 18th at the historic Brattle Theatre, and the public is invited to join Chlotrudis members, nominees and special guests in the celebration.

At the ceremony, Chlotrudis also presents special awards that honor individuals or films for particular distinction.  Past recipients Ellen Page (Breakthrough Award ‘05), Kerry Washington (Breakthrough Award ‘04), Beth Grant (Career So Far Award ‘09) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (first Hall of Fame inductee) are among those who have made the trek to Boston to be honored for their contributions to independent film.   This year’s recipients are still being finalized at press time.

The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film is a Boston-based non-profit group that teaches people to view film actively and experience the world through independent film, and encourages discussion.  The group works with film festivals, local art-houses and theatres, production companies, directors and actors to bring creative, quality films to the attention of audiences and film-lovers.   Visit its website, www.chlotrudis.org, for more information, and join its Facebook page and twitter feed for the latest news.  Here is the complete list of the nominations for the 18th Annual Chlotrudis Awards:

BEST MOVIE
Another Year
Artist, The
Pariah
Poetry
Weekend

BURIED TREASURE
The Arbor
Littlerock
These Amazing Shadows
Trigger
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

BEST DIRECTOR
Takashi Miike – 13 Assassins
Mike Leigh – Another Year
Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
Sean Durkin – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Lars von Trier – Melancholia
Asghar Farhadi – A Separation

BEST ACTOR
Jean Dujardin – The Artist
Javier Bardem – Biutiful
Stellan Skarsgard – A Somewhat Gentle Man
Michael Shannon – Take Shelter
Tom Cullen – Weekend
Chris New – Weekend

BEST ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo – The Artist
Elizabeth Olsen – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia
Adepero Oduye – Pariah
Jeong-hie Yun – Poetry
Tracy Wright – Trigger

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christopher Plummer – Beginners
Jean-Pierre Darroussin – Le Havre
John Hawkes – Martha Marcy May Marlene
Shahab Hosseini – A Separation
John C. Reilly – Terri

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Lesley Manville – Another Year
Shailene Woodley – The Descendants
Frances Fisher – Janie Jones
Kristin Scott Thomas – Love Crime
Kim Wayans – Pariah
Melissa Leo – Red State

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE CAST
Another Year
Artist, The
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
Separation, A
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
13 Assassins
Artist, The
Illusionist, The
Last Circus, The
Melancholia
Midnight in Paris

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
13 Assassins
Artist, The
Bellflower
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Melancholia
Tree of Life
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Descendants, The
Hedgehog, The
Higher Ground
Music Never Stopped, The
Submarine

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Another Year
Guard, The
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Poetry
Weekend

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Bill Cunningham New York
Buck
Into the Abyss
Pina
Senna
Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls