Justin Simien quote

Justin Simien ’05 wins Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay

The initial spark was to tell a story he didn’t see being told anywhere else. And after winning an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, Justin Simien ’05 encouraged others to share their visions and raise their own voices for change.

“I didn’t see myself reflected back at me in the films I love or the stories that resonated for me,” Simien said in his acceptance speech Saturday night in Santa Monica during the 30th-anniversary ceremony, which was televised by IFC. Simien’s critically acclaimed satirical film Dear White People explores race and identity at an Ivy League university.

“I tried to put myself in the culture,” he said, noting that his screenplay was 10 years in the making. “That can be difficult when along the way there’s really nothing there to tell you that you belong there. I’m very grateful. If you don’t see yourself in the culture, please put yourself there, because we need you. We need to see the world from your eyes.”

Simien was also up for Best First Feature, an award that went to Dan Gilroy for Nightcrawler. In winning for Best First Screenplay, he was honored alongside indie film stalwarts such as Richard Linklater (Best Director for Boyhood), Julianne Moore (Best Female Lead for Still Alice) and Michael Keaton (Best Male Lead for Birdman).

Dennis Arp

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