Spirit Awards Set for Feb. 25

10:55 AM PDT 10/27/2011 by Sofia M. Fernandez

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Film Independent's annual ceremony will once again take place on Santa Monica beach the afternoon before the Oscars.

Natalie Portman Indy Spirit Awards - P 2011

Getty Images

The 27th Film Independent Spirit Awards will take place on Feb. 25 in Santa Monica, Calif. The ceremony, held in a tent on the beach, will be broadcast later that evening on IFC.

The awards spotlight the year’s best independent films, focusing on primarily American movies produced for under $20 million. Nominations for the awards will be announced Nov. 29.

Film Independent senior director Sean McManus said Thursday, "The Film Independent Spirit Awards honors filmmakers who create original stories and celebrates artists with fresh, authentic voices. With the continued support of our long-standing broadcaster, IFC, the Spirit Award nominees and their work will reach a national audience."

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Black Swan took top honors at last year's ceremony with wins for best feature, best director for Darren Aronofsky, best actress for Natalie Portman and a cinematography prize for Matthew Libatique. 127 Hours' James Franco and Winter's Bone supporting players John Hawkes and Dale Dickey also scored acting nods.

The Spirit Awards traditionally take place the Saturday afternoon before the Oscars, and are back to its traditional seaside location for the second year after 2010's one-time-only stop in downtown Los Angeles.