The Film Independent Spirit Awards have selected a host for their 25th awards show, and the qualities they've opted for are "tangential, absurd, bizarre, and surreal."
That's the way Film Independent described Eddie Izzard in the press release announcing that the British comic and actor has been selected to host the show, which is moving to Friday night, March 5, from its traditional spot the Saturday afternoon before the Academy Awards. It will air live and uncut on IFC.
The press release:
EDDIE IZZARD TO SERVE AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES FOR THE 25TH FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS
LOS ANGELES (January 25, 2009) – Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, is pleased to announce that acclaimed comedian Eddie Izzard will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards. Izzard’s tangential, absurd, bizarre, and surreal comic narratives are lauded for their creativity and wit, which suits the irreverent, laid-back style of the Spirit Awards. The milestone anniversary will be a late-night celebration on Friday, March 5, 2010 at LA Live’s event deck in downtown Los Angeles.
The 25th Film Independent Spirit Award nominees were announced on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 and the ceremony will air live and uncut on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. PST/11:00 p.m. EST on IFC (Independent Film Channel).
“The Spirit Awards are known for celebrating filmmakers who can challenge audiences with their original storytelling and art, and the same applies to Eddie,” said Film Independent Executive Director Dawn Hudson. “We are thrilled to have such a talented and daring performer host the 25th Anniversary for us. There’s a wealth of memorable moments from past shows and independent film history to draw from, so audiences are in for a treat!”
“Eddie Izzard will bring his hilarious energy to this year’s ceremony, while paying tribute to the independent spirit and artists who have produced some of the world’s best original films,” said Jennifer Caserta, EVP and GM of IFC. “The Spirit Awards are the pinnacle celebration of independent work in the film industry, and we are proud to have been a dedicated partner and television broadcast home for the awards for more than fifteen years.”
Already one of the most acclaimed comics of his generation, Eddie Izzard is developing an equally stellar reputation as a film, television and stage actor. Izzard is completing his “Stripped Too” arena tour across the U.S., the UK and Europe including a recent sold-out show at Madison Square Garden. In April 2008, he embarked on the largest comedy tour of his career with “STRIPPED,” which indisputably became the hottest selling comedy ticket of 2008 on both sides of the Atlantic.
Izzard will next be seen in the independent film, Every Day opposite Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt and Carla Cugino, and Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story, a documentary on his rise to fame – from his early influences to now – which was released last fall and will air on EPIX this spring.
