Gosling, Clooney go head-to-head in Spirit Award noms

The nominations for the 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announced, and George Clooney and Ryan Gosling are facing off for the honor of best film.

Gosling's action vehicle “Drive” and Clooney’s family drama “The Descendants” have four nods each, including the "best feature" nomination.

But it's "Take Shelter," starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain, and this month's acclaimed film “The Artist” that are in the lead with five nominations each.

All four of those films will go up against "50/50," the dramedy starring Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as well as Ewan McGregor's "Beginners."

Winners will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on February 25, 2012. The 27^th annual awards ceremony will air at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on IFC.

Check out the rest of the nominations below:

Best feature

"50/50"

"Beginners"

"Drive"

"Take Shelter"

"The Artist"

"The Descendants"

Best director

Michel Hazanavicius – “The Artist”

Mike Mills – “Beginners”

Jeff Nichols – “Take Shelter”

Alexander Payne – “The Descendants”

Nicolas Winding Refn – “Drive”

Best screenplay

Joseph Cedar – “Footnote”

Michel Hazanavicius – “The Artist”

Tom McCarthy – “Win Win”

Mike Mills – “Beginners”

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash – “The Descendants”

Best female lead

Lauren Ambrose –  “Think of Me”

Rachael Harris – “Natural Selection”

Adepero Oduye – “Pariah”

Elizabeth Olsen – “Martha Marcy May Marlene”

Michelle Williams – “My Week with Marilyn”

Best male lead

Demián Bichir – “A Better Life”

Jean Dujardin – “The Artist”

Ryan Gosling – “Drive”

Woody Harrelson – “Rampart”

Michael Shannon – “Take Shelter”

Best supporting female

Jessica Chastain – “Take Shelter”

Anjelica Huston – “50/50”

Janet McTeer – “Albert Nobbs”

Harmony Santana – “Gun Hill Road”

Shailene Woodley – “The Descendants”

Best supporting male

Albert Brooks – “Drive”

John Hawkes – “Martha Marcy May Marlene”

Christopher Plummer – “Beginners”

John C. Reilly – “Cedar Rapids”

Corey Stoll – “Midnight in Paris”

Best documentary

(Award given to the director and producer)

“An African Election” - Director/Producer: Jarreth Merz

“Bill Cunningham New York” - Director: Richard Press; Producer: Philip Gefter

“The Interrupters” - Director/Producer: Steve James; Producer: Alex Kotlowitz

“The Redemption of General Butt Naked” - Director/Producers: Eric Strauss, Daniele Anastasion

“We Were Here” - Director/Producer: David Weissman

Best international film
(Award given to the director)

“A Separation” (Iran) - Director: Asghar Farhadi

“Melancholia” (Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany) - Director: Lars von Trier

“Shame” (UK) - Director: Steve McQueen

“The Kid With a Bike” (Belgium/France/Italy) - Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

“Tyrannosaur” (UK) - Director: Paddy Considine

Best cinematography

Joel Hodge – “Bellflower”

Benjamin Kasulke – “The Off Hours”

Darius Khondji – “Midnight in Paris”

Guillaume Schiffman – “The Artist”

Jeffrey Waldron – “The Dynamiter”

To see the rest of the nominees, visit SpiritAwards.com.