The six nominations given to Alejandro G. Innaritu‘s Birdman for the 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards means it’ll probably take two or three top honors — definitely Best Actor (Michael Keaton), probably Best Feature and maybe Best Director for Inarritu, although Boyhood and its director, Richard Linklater, could nab the Best Feature and/or Best Director trophy as a split-decision gesture…who knows? Boyhood, Nightcrawler and Selma each snagged five nominations. Whiplash was also nominated for Best Feature. Ira Glass‘s Love Is Strange was nominated for Best Feature strictly as a token attaboy neck rub, strictly to round out the pack.

HE Suggestions/Predictions For Spirit Wins:

Best Feature: Birdman (suggested); Birdman or Boyhood (predicted).
Best Director: Alejandro G. Innaritu (suggested); Inarritu or Richard Linklater (predicted).
Best Screenplay: A Most Violent Year‘s J.C. Chandor or Nightcrawler‘s Dan Gilroy (suggested); ditto (predicted).

Best First FeatureDan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler (suggested); ditto (predicted)
Best First Screenplay: Justin Lader, The One I Love (suggested); Justin Simien, Dear White People (predicted).
Best Male Lead: Michael Keaton, Birdman, or Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler (suggested); Keaton (predicted); Highly Honorable Mentions: Andre Benjamin, Jimi: All Is By My Side; David Oyelowo, Selma.
Best Female Lead: Julianne Moore, Still Alice (predicted — STILL haven’t seen film).
Best Supporting Male: Edward Norton, Birdman (suggested); J.K. Simmons, Whiplash (predicted).
Best Supporting Female: Emma Stone, Birdman, or Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year (suggested); Patricia Arquette, Boyhood. (predicted).
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman (suggested, predicted). An up vote for Bradford Young’s A Most Violent Year cinematography, but definitely a down vote for his lensing of Selma.

I don’t know from the John Cassevetes or Best Editing nominations. Notions?