With one week until the Oscars, the 40th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards took place on Saturday, February 22, in a giant tent at Santa Monica Beach in Los Angeles, California. Hosted by Aidy Bryant for the second straight year, she delighted with jokes about new categories she wanted to introduce, like “Most Screenplay” and how Spirit winner Kieran Culkin commented about a kiss she “really went for” on Saturday Night Live when he hosted. The afternoon was filled with appreciation for the small-budget films, all made for under $30 million, and the new television series of the year. The biggest winner in the television category was “Baby Reindeer,” which swept the acting awards, knocking out more substantially budgeted performances from “The Penguin” and “Shōgun,” which did win Best New Scripted Series.
Besides honoring the films, they honored the late Film Independent president, Josh Welsh, who died in December due to colon cancer. They also shouted out Gena Rowlands, the late wife of John Cassavetes, of whom an award is named. There was also plenty of fundraising for the Los Angeles wildfire relief and pushing back against the current federal administration. “Dìdi” won Best First Feature and First Screenplay, with Sean Wang thanking his mother and championing the inclusion of all races. Jesse Eisenberg won Best Screenplay and used his time to thank his producer and friend, Emma Stone, for elevating so many projects. The night’s biggest winner was “Anora,” as it won Best Feature. Mikey Madison beat out Demi Moore (“The Substance”) for Best Leading Performance, and Sean Baker beat out Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”), as many predict will echo at the Oscars. Baker used his acceptance speech to plead with the industry to appropriately compensate indie filmmaking for “lifers” including himself, who aren’t using the medium as a calling card.
BEST FEATURE
Presented by Michelle Yeoh
“Anora” • NEON
Directed by Sean Baker
Produced by Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan
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“I Saw the TV Glow” | A24
“Nickel Boys” | Orion/Amazon MGM Studios
“Sing Sing” | A24
“The Substance” | MUBI
BEST FIRST FEATURE
Presented by Marianne Jean-Baptiste
“DÌDI” • Focus Features
Directed by Sean Wang
Produced by Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters, Valerie Bush, Sean Wang
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“In The Summers” | Music Box Films
“Janet Planet” | A24
“The Piano Lesson” | Netflix”
“Problemista” | A24
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000)
Presented by Patti LuPone & Natasha Lyonne
“Girls Will Be Girls” • Juno Films
Directed by Shuchi Talati
Produced by Richa Chadha, Claire Chassagne, Sanjay Gulati, Shuchi Talati
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“Big Boys” | Dark Star Pictures
“Ghostlight” | IFC Films
“Jazzy” | The Film Arcade
“The People’s Joker” | Altered Innocence
BEST DIRECTOR
Presented by Édgar Ramírez
Sean Baker
“Anora” • NEON
Produced by Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan
—
Ali Abbasi – “The Apprentice” | Briarcliff Entertainment
Brady Corbet – “The Brutalist” | A24
Alonso Ruizpalacios – “La Cocina” | WILLA
Jane Schoenbrun – “I Saw the TV Glow” | A24
BEST SCREENPLAY
Presented by Mark and Jay Duplass
“A Real Pain” • Searchlight Pictures
Written by Jesse Eisenberg
Directed by Jesse Eisenberg
Produced by Ewa Puszczyńska, Jennifer Semler, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone,
Ali Herting, Dave McCary
—
“A Different Man” – Aaron Schimberg | A24
“Heretic” – Scott Beck & Bryan Woods | A24
“I Saw the TV Glow” – Jane Schoenbrun | A24
“My Old Ass” – Megan Park | Amazon MGM Studios
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Presented by Ruth Negga
“DÌDI” • Focus Features
Written by Sean Wang
Directed by Sean Wang
Produced by Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters, Valerie Bush, Sean Wang
—
“The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed” – Joanna Arnow | Magnolia Pictures
“Good One” – India Donaldson | Focus Features
“Janet Planet” – Annie Baker | A24
“Problemista” – Julio Torres | A24
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE
Presented by Molly Shannon
Mikey Madison
“Anora” • NEON
Directed by Sean Baker
Produced by Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan
—
Amy Adams – “Nightbitch” | Searchlight Pictures
Ryan Destiny – “The Fire Inside” | Amazon MGM Studios
Colman Domingo – “Sing Sing” | A24
Keith Kupferer – “Ghostlight” | IFC Films
Demi Moore – “The Substance” | MUBI
Hunter Schafer – “Cuckoo” | NEON
June Squibb – “Thelma” | Magnolia Pictures
Justice Smith – “I Saw the TV Glow” | A24
Sebastian Stan – “The Apprentice” | Briarcliff Entertainment
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
Presented by Kathryn Hahn
Kieran Culkin
“A Real Pain” • Searchlight Pictures
Directed by Jesse Eisenberg
Produced by Ewa Puszczyńska, Jennifer Semler, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone,
Ali Herting, Dave McCary
—
Yura Borisov – “Anora” | NEON
Joan Chen – “Dìdi” | Focus Features
Danielle Deadwyler – “The Piano Lesson” | Netflix
Jack Haven – “I Saw the TV Glow” | A24
Carol Kane – “Between The Temples” | Sony Pictures Classics
Karren Karagulian – “Anora” | NEON
Kani Kusruti – “All We Imagine as Light” | Sideshow/Janus Films
Clarence Maclin – “Sing Sing” | A24
Adam Pearson – “A Different Man” | A24
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Presented by Amy Adams
Maisy Stella
“My Old Ass” • Amazon MGM Studios
Directed by Megan Park
Produced by Tom Ackerley, Margot Robbie, Josey McNamara, Steven Rales
—
René Pérez Joglar – “In The Summers” | Music Box Films
Isaac Krasner – “Big Boys” | Dark Star Pictures
Katy O’Brian – “Love Lies Bleeding” | A24
Mason Alexander Park – “National Anthem” | LD Entertainment
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Presented by Natalie Morales & Sonequa Martin-Green
“Nickel Boys” • Orion/Amazon MGM Studios
Cinematography by Jomo Fray
Directed by RaMell Ross
Produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, David Levine, Joslyn Barnes
—
“The Fire Inside” – Rina Yang | Amazon MGM Studios
“Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” – Dinh Duy Hung | Kino Lorber
“Janet Planet” – Maria von Hausswolff | A24
“La Cocina” – Juan Pablo Ramírez | WILLA
BEST EDITING
Presented by Julio Torres
“September 5” • Paramount Pictures
Editing by Hansjörg Weissbrich
Directed by Tim Fehlbaum
Produced by Sean Penn, Philipp Trauer, Thomas Wöbke, John Ira Palmer, John Wildermuth
—
“The Apprentice” – Olivier Bugge Coutté, & Olivia Neergaard-Holm | Briarcliff Entertainment
“Dìdi” – Arielle Zakowski | Focus Features
“Jazzy” – Laura Colwell & Vanara Taing | The Film Arcade
“Nightbitch” – Anne McCabe | Searchlight Pictures
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Presented by Questlove
“No Other Land” • mTuckman Media
Directed by Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor
Produced by Fabien Greenberg, Bård Kjøge Rønning
—
“Gaucho Gaucho” | Beautiful Stories Productions
“Hummingbirds” | Extra Terrestrial Films
“Patrice: The Movie” | Hulu
“Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” | Kino Lorber
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Presented by Tadanobu Asano
“Flow” • Sideshow/Janus
Directed by Gints Zilbalodis
Produced by Matīss Kaža, Gints Zilbalodis, Ron Dyens, Gregory Zalcman
—
“All We Imagine As Light” | Sideshow/Janus Films
“Black Dog” | Seventh Art Pictures
“Green Border” | Kino Lorber
“Hard Truths” | Bleecker Street
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
Presented by Tracy Letts
“His Three Daughters” (Netflix)
Directed by Azazel Jacobs
Casting by Nicole Arbusto
Ensemble Cast including Jovan Adepo, Jasmine Bracey, Carrie Coon, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Randy Ramos Jr., Jay O. Sanders
TELEVISION
BEST NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Presented by Karen Pittman & Jessica Williams
“Shōgun” • FX/Hulu
Created/Executive Produced by Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks
Executive Produced by Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca, Michaela Clavell
Co-Executive Produced by Shannon Goss, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich
—
“Baby Reindeer” • Netflix
“Diarra From Detroit” | BET+
“English Teacher” | FX/Hulu
“Fantasmas” | HBO Max
BEST NEW NON-SCRIPTED OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Presented by Joe Locke
“Hollywood Black” • MGM+
Executive Produced by Shayla Harris, Dave Sirulnick, Stacey Reiss, Jon Kamen, Justin Simien, Kyle Laursen, Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jeffrey Schwarz, Amy Goodman Kass, Michael Wright, Jill Burkhart
Co-Executive Produced by David C. Brown, Laurens Grant
—
“Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color” | National Geographic
“Photographer” | National Geographic
“Ren Faire” | HBO Max
“Social Studies” | FX
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Presented by Melanie Lynskey
Richard Gadd
“Baby Reindeer” • Netflix
Directed by Richard Gadd
Produced by Wim De Greef, Petra Fried, Matt Jarvis, Ed Macdonald
—
Brian Jordan Alvarez – “English Teacher” | FX/Hulu
Lily Gladstone – “Under The Bridge” | Hulu
Kathryn Hahn – “Agatha All Along” | Disney+
Cristin Milioti – “The Penguin” | HBO Max
Julianne Moore – “Mary & George” | Starz
Hiroyuki Sanada – “Shōgun” | FX/Hulu
Anna Sawai – “Shōgun” | FX/Hulu
Andrew Scott – “Ripley” | Netflix
Julio Torres – “Fantasmas” | HBO Max
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Presented by Hunter Schafer & Alana Haim
Nava Mau
“Baby Reindeer” • Netflix
Directed by Richard Gadd
Produced by Wim De Greef, Petra Fried, Matt Jarvis, Ed Macdonald
—
Tadanobu Asano – “Shōgun”
Enrico Colantoni – “English Teacher” | FX/Hulu
Betty Gilpin – “Three Women” | Starz
Chloe Guidry – “Under The Bridge” | Hulu
Moeka Hoshi – “Shōgun” | FX/Hulu
Stephanie Koenig – “English Teacher” | FX/Hulu
Patti LuPone – “Agatha All Along” | Disney+
Ruth Negga – “Presumed Innocent” | Apple TV+
Brian Tee – “Expats” | Amazon Prime Video
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Presented by Danielle Deadwyler
Jessica Gunning
“Baby Reindeer” • Netflix
Directed by Richard Gadd
Produced by Wim De Greef, Petra Fried, Matt Jarvis, Ed Macdonald
—
Diarra Kilpatrick – “Diarra From Detroit” | BET+
Joe Locke – “Agatha All Along” | Disney+
Megan Stott – “Penelope” | Netflix
Hoa Xuande – “The Sympathizer” | HBO
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Presented by Carrie Coon & Walton Goggins
“How To Die Alone” (Onyx)
Ensemble Cast including Melissa DuPrey, Jaylee Hamidi, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Arkie Kandola, Elle Lorraine, Michelle McLeod, Chris “CP” Powell, Conrad Ricamora, Natasha Rothwell, Jocko Sims
SPECIAL HONORS
PRODUCERS AWARD
presented by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey
Presented by Jason and Randy Sklar
Sarah Winshall
“I SAW THE TV GLOW”
A creative producer and the founder of the independent production company Smudge Films. She launched the Los Angeles Festival of Movies in 2024. In 2023, she received the Dear Producer Award, and she was a 2022 Gotham/Cannes Producers Network Fellow. Recent films include I Saw the TV Glow (dir. Jane Schoenbrun) with A24, Good One (dir. India Donaldson), Strawberry Mansion (dirs. Albert Birney and Kentucker Audley), and Give Me Pity! (dir. Amanda Kramer). Previous work has played at Cannes, Sundance, Berlinale, SXSW, New Directors/New Films, CPH:DOX, Outfest, Rotterdam, MoMA, and on the Criterion Channel.
—
Alex Coco
Zoë Worth
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
(The Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision
who has not yet received appropriate recognition.)
Presented by Jason and Randy Sklar
Sarah Friedland
“Familiar Touch“
A filmmaker and choreographer working at the intersection of moving images and moving bodies. Her work has screened in spaces such as NYFF, New Directors/New Films, MoMA, and Performa Biennial. Sarah started her career assisting filmmakers including Steve McQueen, Mike S. Ryan and Kelly Reichardt. She was recently a Pina Bausch Fellow for Choreography, a NYSCA/NYFA Fellow in Film, and named to Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film” in 2023. Her debut feature, Familiar Touch, premiered at the Venice Film Festival, winning the Lion of the Future, Best Director, and Best Actress (Orizzonti Competition).
—
Nicholas Colia – “Griffin in Summer”
Pham Thien An – “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell”
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
(The Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction
features who has not yet received significant recognition.)
Presented by Jason and Randy Sklar
Rachel Elizabeth Seed
“A Photographic Memory“
An LA-based nonfiction storyteller working in film, photography and writing. Her debut feature film A Photographic Memory, which premiered as the Closing Night film at True/False 2024, was called “one of the best docs of the year” by RogerEbert.com and “an ingenious, meta doc” by Variety. Rachel’s work has been supported by the Sundance Institute, Field of Vision, the Jerome Foundation, and Gotham Labs, among others. Formerly a photo editor at New York Magazine, her photography has been exhibited at the International Center of Photography, and she co-founded the Brooklyn Documentary Club, a thriving film collective in NYC.
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Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie – “Sugarcane”
Carla Gutiérrez – “Frida”
About the Film Independent
In 1981, Gregory Nava and a small band of directors, writers and producers began gathering regularly to share creative ideas and discuss ways to increase resources for independent filmmakers.
The non-profit, member-driven organization Independent Feature Project (IFP)/West soon emerged from these meetings with the mission to cultivate the careers of independent filmmakers, build larger audiences for independent film and champion diversity in the entertainment industry. National recognition quickly followed when the organization took on production of the Spirit Awards in the late 1980s and the LA Film Festival in 2000. In time, IFP/West became Film Independent — a more accurate banner for the spectrum of services and programs the organization had expanded to include.
Today, Film Independent encompasses a broad community of individuals who appreciate and sustain artist-driven filmmaking.
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