The deadline for voting for the 39th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards was at 5:00 pm on Monday, and I saw all the nominated films and episodes to cast my vote. Like last year, only a few things blew me away. There were a handful of films that I immensely enjoyed, most of which were also nominated for Oscars (“The Zone of Interest,” “Past Lives,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” and “Past Lives), and only a few that rose above their low budgets to surprise me (“Upon Entry,” “Memory,” “BlackBerry,” and “Birth/Rebirth”).

In the television categories, “Beef” was my favorite in Best New Scripted Series, and I feel it has a good chance of winning. However, “I’m A Virgo,” “Slip,” and “Dreaming Whilst Black” were all series that I wouldn’t have otherwise watched, and that caught me off guard with how great they were. I especially hope “Slip” can overcome its deletion from the Roku streaming service. The Afeni and Tupac Shakur docuseries was the best, offering an in-depth look at the singer’s entire life and his mother’s before that. However, as a former professional wrestling fan, “Wrestlers” hit a sweet spot.

I awarded all the acting categories to different members of the “The Last Of Us” cast, including Bella Ramsey, Nick Offerman, and Keivonn Montreal Woodard, who all helped put that show in another league. Although I wasn’t blown away by the Prime Video series “Swarm,” Billie Eilish proved herself a fantastic actor in her own right. “Shrinking,” “A Small Light,” and “A Murder at the End of the World” will all land as some of my favorites of the year. I wanted to like “Lessons in Chemistry” and “The Curse” more because of Brie Larson and Emma Stone, but they both fell flat. And “The Changeling” and “All The Light We Cannot See” were both not very good despite the talent involved.

Regarding the film categories, “The Zone of Interest” was my favorite film of the entire lot, so the pick for Best International Film was easy. It will also likely win the Oscar. Speaking of the Oscars, I picked the only Academy Award-nominated documentary, “Four Daughters,” to win the category, although I don’t see that one winning at the Oscars. Of the nominees in the Best First Feature category, “Upon Entry” was the one that surprised me the most, although I could see “A Thousand and One” ending up winning the award. I also picked “Upon Entry” for Best Editing, although I know there’s a lot of love for “How To Blow Up A Pipeline.” Best First Screenplay I gave to “May December” because it felt like the stronger told and more original story than “Upon Entry.” It also came off as a more realized, high-end film for a first-time writer.

“The Holdovers” was a film that didn’t quite surpass my expectations. However, it was still strong in certain aspects, so I gave Best Cinematography to Eigil Bryld (which feels like a lock to win), Best Breakthrough Performance to Dominic Sessa (also feels like a pretty solid contender), and Best Supporting Performance to Da’Vine Joy Randolph (who has swept all the supporting awards this season and will likely go on to win this and the Oscar). Of all the Best Feature nominees, “Past Lives” was the strongest, not just in acting, for which I awarded Best Leading Performance to Greta Lee, but also in writing and directing, for which I awarded Celine Song. “American Fiction” was second in all its nominated categories. If Cord Jefferson’s script had been in the first screenplay category, it would have been easier to pick over “May December.”

On February 25th, Aidy Bryant will host the award ceremony live from Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California.

BEST FEATURE

“Past Lives” (A24)

Directed by Celine Song
Produced by David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, and Pamela Koffler


2. “American Fiction” (Amazon MGM Studios + Orion Pictures)
3. “May December” (Netflix)
4. “All Of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures)
5. “Passages” (MUBI)
6. “We Grown Now” (Sony Pictures Classics)

BEST FIRST FEATURE

“Upon Entry” (Karma Films)

Directed by Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vasquez
Produced by Carles Torras, Carlos Juárez, Xosé Zapata, Sergio Adrià, and Alba Sotorra


2. “Chronicles of a Wandering Saint” (Plenty Good)
3. “Earth Mama” (A24)
4. “A Thousand and One” (Focus Features)
5. “All Dirt Roads Taste Of Salt” (A24)

BEST DIRECTOR

Celine Song
“Past Lives” (A24)

Produced by David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, and Pamela Koffler


2. Todd Haynes – “May December” (Netflix)
3. Andrew Haigh – “All Of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures)
4. William Oldroyd – “Eileen” (NEON)
5. Ira Sachs – “Passages” (MUBI)

BEST SCREENPLAY

“Past Lives” (A24)

Written by Celine Song

Directed by Celine Song
Produced by David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, and Pamela Koffler


2. “American Fiction” – Cord Jefferson (Amazon MGM Studios + Orion Pictures)
3. “The Holdovers”– David Hemingson (Focus Features)
4. “Birth/Rebirth” – Laura Moss & Brendan J. O’Brien (Shudder + IFC Films)
5. “Bottoms” – Emma Seligman & Rachel Sennott (Orion Pictures)

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

“May December” (Netflix)

Written by Samy Burch

Directed by Todd Haynes
Produced by Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney,
Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, and Christine Vachon


2. “Upon Entry” – Alejando Rojas & Juan Sebastián Vásquez (Karma Films)
3. “Theater Camp” – Noah Galvin, Molly Gordan, Nick Lieberman, and Ben Platt (Searchlight Pictures)
4. “Chronicles of a Wandering Saint” – Tomás Gómez Bustillo (Plenty Good)
5. “The Starling Girl” – Laurel Parmet (Bleecker Street)

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE

Greta Lee
“Past Lives” (A24)

Directed by Celine Song
Produced by David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon, and Pamela Koffler


2. Jeffrey Wright – “American Fiction” (Amazon MGM Studios + Orion Pictures)
3. Trace Lysette – “Monica” (IFC Films)
4. Teyana Taylor – “A Thousand and One” (Focus Features)
5. Teo Yoo – “Past Lives” (A24)
6. Natalie Portman – “May December” (Netflix)
7. Andrew Scott – “All Of Us Strangers” (Searchlight Pictures)
8. Jessica Chastain – “Memory” (Ketchup Entertainment)
9. Judy Reyes – “Birth/Rebirth” (Shudder + IFC Films)
10. Franz Rogowski – “Passages” (MUBI)

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE

Da’Vine Joy Randolph
“The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Directed by Alexander Payne
Produced by Mark Johnson, Bill Block, and David Hemingson


2. Sterling K. Brown – “American Fiction” (Amazon MGM Studios + Orion Pictures)
3. Glenn Howerton – “BlackBerry” (IFC Films)
4. Charles Melton – “May December” (Netflix)
5. Ben Whishaw – “Passages” (MUBI)
6. Anne Hathaway – “Eileen” (NEON)
7. Erika Alexander – “American Fiction” (Amazon MGM Studios + Orion Pictures)
8. Marin Ireland – “Eileen” (NEON)
9. Noah Galvin – “Theater Camp” (Searchlight Pictures)
10. Catalina Saavedra – “Rotting In The Sun” (MUBI)

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

Dominic Sessa
“The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Directed by Alexander Payne
Produced by Mark Johnson, Bill Block, and David Hemingson


2. Tia Nomore – “Earth Mama” (A24)
3. Anaita Wali Zada – “Fremont” (Music Box Films)
4. Marshawn Lynch – “Bottoms” (Orion Pictures)
5. Atibon Nazaire – “Mountains” (Neon Heart Productions)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

“The Holdovers” (Focus Features)

Cinematography by Eigil Bryld

Directed by Alexander Payne
Produced by Mark Johnson, Bill Block, and David Hemingson


2. “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt” – Jomo Fray (A24)
3. “We Grown Now” – Pat Scola (Sony Pictures Classics)
4. “Chronicles of a Wandering Saint” – Pablo Lozano (Plenty Good)
5. “Monica” – Katelin Arizmendi (IFC Films)

BEST EDITING

“Upon Entry” (Karma Films)

Editing by Emanuele Tiziani

Directed by Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vasquez
Produced by Carles Torras, Carlos Juárez, Xosé Zapata, Sergio Adrià, and Alba Sotorra


2. “How To Blow Up A Pipeline” – Daniel Garber (NEON)
3. “Rotting In The Sun” – Santiago Cendejas, Gabriel Díaz, and Sofía Suberxaseaux (MUBI)
4. “We Grown Now” – Stephanie Filo (Sony Pictures Classics)
5. “Theater Camp” – Jon Philpot (Searchlight Pictures)

BEST DOCUMENTARY

“Four Daughters” (Kino Lorber)

Directed by Kaouther Ben Hania
Produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha, Habib Attia, Thanassis Karathanos, and Martin Hampel


2. “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” (HBO Documentary Films)
3. “Bye Bye Tiberias” (Women Make Movies)
4. “Kokomo City” (Magnolia Pictures)
5. “The Mother of All Lies” (Insight Films)

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

“The Zone Of Interest” (A24)

Directed by Jonathan Glazer
Produced by James Wilson, Ewa Puszczynska, and Jim Wilson


2. “Anatomy Of A Fall” (NEON)
3. “Godland” (Janus Films)
4. “Tótem” (Sideshow + Janus Films)
5. “Mami Wata” (Dekanalog)

TELEVISION

BEST NEW SCRIPTED SERIES

“BEEF” (Netflix + A24)

Creator/Executive Produced by Lee Sung Jin
Executive Produced by Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Jake Schreier, Ravi Nandan, and Alli Reich
Co-Executive Produced by Alice Ju and Carrie Kemper


2. “I’m A Virgo” (Prime Video)
3. “Slip” (The Roku Channel)
4. “Dreaming Whilst Black” (Showtime + Paramount+)
5. “Jury Duty” (Amazon Freevee)

BEST NEW NON-SCRIPTED OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES

“Dear Mama” (FX + Hulu)

Executive Produced by Lasse Järvi, Quincy “QD3” Jones III, Staci Robinson, Nelson George, Charles D. King,
Peter Nelson, Adel “Future” Nur, Jamal Joseph, Ted Skillman, Allen Hughes, Steve Berman, Marc Cimino,
Jody Gerson, John Janick, Nicholas Ferrall, and Nigel Sinclair


2. “Wrestlers” (Netflix)
3. “Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence” (Hulu)
4. “Deadlocked: How American Shaped The Supreme Court” (Showtime + Paramount+)
5. “Murder In Bighorn” (Showtime)

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES

Bella Ramsey
“The Last Of Us” (HBO + Max)


2. Bel Powley – “A Small Light” (National Geographic)
3. Steven Yeun – “BEEF” (Netflix)
4. Zoe Lister-Jones – “Slip” (The Roku Channel)
5. Emma Corrin – “A Murder at the End of the World” (FX on Hulu)
6. Dominique Fishback – “Swarm” (Prime Video)
7. Betty Gilpin – “Mrs. Davis” (Peacock)
8. Ali Wong – “BEEF” (Netflix)
9. Jharrel Jerome – “I’m A Virgo” (Prime Video)
10. Ramón Rodríguez – “Will Trent” (ABC)

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES

Nick Offerman
“The Last Of Us” (HBO + Max)


2. Billie Eilish – “Swarm” (Prime Video)
3. Jessica Williams – “Shrinking” (Apple TV+)
4. Lewis Pullman – “Lessons in Chemistry” (Apple TV+)
5. Olivia Washington – “I’m A Virgo” (Prime Video)
6. Murray Bartlett – “The Last Of Us” (HBO + Max)
7. Benny Safdie – “The Curse” (Showtime)
8. Jack Farthing – “Rain Dogs” (HBO)
9. Adina Porter – “The Changeling” (Apple TV+)
10. Luke Tennie – “Shrinking” (Apple TV+)

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES

Keivonn Montreal Woodard
“The Last Of Us” (HBO + Max)


2. Clark Backo – “The Changeling” (Apple TV+)
3. Adjani Salmon – “Dreaming Whilst Black” (Showtime + Paramount+)
4. Aria Mia Loberti – “All the Light We Cannot See” (Netflix)
5. Kara Young – “I’m A Virgo” (Prime Video)

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