The 40th annual Independent Spirit Awards are being handed out Saturday afternoon.
Jesse Eisenberg won best screenplay for A Real Pain, while Kieran Culkin won best supporting performance for his role in the film. Culkin — who is starring in Glengarry Glen Ross, which opens March 10 on Broadway — was not present at the show.
Jomo Fray won best cinematography for Nickel Boys, and Hansjörg Weissbrich won best editing for September 5.
Maisy Stella won the Spirit for best breakthrough performance, for her role in My Old Ass.
Didi won for best first feature, with the film’s writer-director Sean Wang taking home the award for best first screenplay. No Other Land was named best documentary. Girls Will Be Girls won the John Cassavetes Award, given to a feature made for less than $1 million.
On the TV side, Shogun was named best new scripted series, while Baby Reindeer nabbed a pair of trophies: Nava Mau won for best supporting performance in a new scripted series, while her co-star Jessica Gunning won best breakthrough performance in a new scripted series. Hollywood Black won best new nonscripted or documentary series.
Aidy Bryant returned as host of the 40th annual Spirit Awards, presented by Film Independent. The in-person show on the beach in Santa Monica will stream on the IMDb and Film Independent YouTube channels and other social platforms. (See the red carpet arrivals.)
Heading into the show, Anora and I Saw the TV Glow lead with six nods each. On the TV side, Shogun dominates with five noms, followed by Baby Reindeer and English Teacher with four each.
Azazel Jacobs’ His Three Daughters will receive the Robert Altman Award, given to a film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. How to Die Alone was named the recipient of this year’s award for best ensemble cast in a new scripted series.
The Producers, Someone to Watch and Truer Than Fiction Awards were presented at a brunch in January.
The show also paid tribute to Josh Welsh, former president of Film Independent who died on New Year’s Eve following a private five-year battle with colon cancer.
The Spirit Awards began recognizing TV in 2021 and switched to gender-neutral acting categories in 2022.
The list of nominees below will be updated with the winners as they are announced live. Refresh for the latest.
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Best Feature
Anora
Producers: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha QuanI Saw the TV Glow
Producers: Ali Herting, Luca Intili, Dave McCary, Emma Stone, Sarah WinshallNickel Boys
Producers: Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, David LevineSing Sing
Producers: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Monique WaltonThe Substance
Producers: Tim Bevan, Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner -
Best First Feature
Dìdi (WINNER)
Director/Producer: Sean Wang
Producers: Valerie Bush, Carlos López Estrada, Josh PetersIn the Summers
Director: Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio
Producers: Janek Ambros, Lynette Coll, Alexander Dinelaris, Cynthia Fernandez De La Cruz, Cristóbal Güell, Sergio Alberto Lira, Rob Quadrino, Jan Suter, Daniel Tantalean, Nando Vila, Slava Vladimirov, Stephanie YankwittJanet Planet
Director/Producer: Annie Baker
Producers: Andrew Goldman, Dan Janvey, Derrick TsengThe Piano Lesson
Director: Malcolm Washington
Producers: Todd Black, Denzel WashingtonProblemista
Director/Producer: Julio Torres
Producers: Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Emma Stone -
John Cassavetes Award
Given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000
Big Boys
Writer/Director/Producer: Corey Sherman
Producer: Allison TateGhostlight
Writer/Director: Kelly O’Sullivan
Director/Producer: Alex Thompson
Producers: Pierce Cravens, Ian Keiser, Chelsea Krant, Eddie Linker, Alex WilsonGirls Will Be Girls (WINNER)
Writer/Director/Producer: Shuchi Talati
Producers: Richa Chadha, Claire ChassagneJazzy
Writer/Director/Producer: Morrisa Maltz
Writer/Producer: Lainey Shangreaux
Writers: Andrew Hajek, Vanara Taing
Producers: Miranda Bailey, Tommy Heitkamp, John Way, Natalie Whalen, Elliott WhittonThe People’s Joker
Writer/Director: Vera Drew
Writer: Bri LeRose
Producer: Joey Lyons -
Best Director
Ali Abbasi
The ApprenticeSean Baker
AnoraBrady Corbet
The BrutalistAlonso Ruizpalacios
La CocinaJane Schoenbrun
I Saw the TV Glow -
Best Screenplay
Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
HereticJesse Eisenberg (WINNER)
A Real PainMegan Park
My Old AssAaron Schimberg
A Different ManJane Schoenbrun
I Saw the TV Glow -
Best First Screenplay
Joanna Arnow
The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has PassedAnnie Baker
Janet PlanetIndia Donaldson
Good OneJulio Torres
ProblemistaSean Wang (WINNER)
Dìdi -
Best Lead Performance
Amy Adams
NightbitchRyan Destiny
The Fire InsideColman Domingo
Sing SingKeith Kupferer
GhostlightMikey Madison
AnoraDemi Moore
The SubstanceHunter Schafer
CuckooJustice Smith
I Saw the TV GlowJune Squibb
ThelmaSebastian Stan
The Apprentice -
Best Supporting Performance
Yura Borisov
AnoraJoan Chen
DìdiKieran Culkin (WINNER)
A Real PainDanielle Deadwyler
The Piano LessonCarol Kane
Between the TemplesKarren Karagulian
AnoraKani Kusruti
Girls Will Be GirlsBrigette Lundy-Paine
I Saw the TV GlowClarence “Divine Eye” Maclin
Sing SingAdam Pearson
A Different Man -
Best Breakthrough Performance
Isaac Krasner
Big BoysKaty O’Brian
Love Lies BleedingMason Alexander Park
National AnthemRené Pérez Joglar
In the SummersMaisy Stella (WINNER)
My Old Ass -
Best Cinematography
Dinh Duy Hung
Inside the Yellow Cocoon ShellJomo Fray (WINNER)
Nickel BoysMaria von Hausswolff
Janet PlanetJuan Pablo Ramírez
La CocinaRina Yang
The Fire Inside -
Best Editing
Laura Colwell, Vanara Taing
JazzyOlivier Bugge Coutté, Olivia Neergaard-Holm
The ApprenticeAnne McCabe
NightbitchHansjörg Weissbrich (WINNER)
September 5Arielle Zakowski
Dìdi -
Robert Altman Award
His Three Daughters (WINNER)
Director: Azazel Jacobs
Casting Director: Nicole Arbusto
Ensemble Cast: Jovan Adepo, Jasmine Bracey, Carrie Coon, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Randy Ramos Jr., Jay O. Sanders -
Best Documentary
Gaucho Gaucho
Directors/Producers: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw
Producers: Christos Konstantakopoulos, Cameron O’Reilly, Matthew PerniciaroHummingbirds
Directors: Silvia Del Carmen Castaños, Estefanía “Beba” Contreras
Co-Directors/Producers: Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Diane Ng, Ana Rodriguez-Falco, Jillian Schlesinger
Producers: Leslie Benavides, Rivkah Beth MedowNo Other Land (WINNER)
Directors/Producers: Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor
Producers: Fabien Greenberg, Bård Kjøge RønningPatrice: The Movie
Director: Ted Passon
Producers: Kyla Harris, Innbo Shim, Emily SpivackSoundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Director: Johan Grimonprez
Producers: Rémi Grellety, Daan Milius -
Best International Film
All We Imagine as Light
France, India, Netherlands, Luxembourg
Director: Payal KapadiaBlack Dog
China
Director: Guan HuFlow (WINNER)
Latvia, France, Belgium
Director: Gints ZilbalodisGreen Border
Poland, France, Czech Republic, Belgium
Director: Agnieszka HollandHard Truths
United Kingdom
Director: Mike Leigh -
Producers Award
The Producers Award, presented by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, now in its 28th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality independent films.
Alex Coco
Sarah Winshall (WINNER)
Zoë Worth -
Someone to Watch Award
The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 31st year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.
Nicholas Colia
Director of Griffin in SummerSarah Friedland (WINNER)
Director of Familiar TouchPham Thien An
Director of Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell -
Truer Than Fiction Award
The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 30th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.
Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie
Directors of SugarcaneCarla Gutiérrez
Director of FridaRachel Elizabeth Seed (WINNER)
Director of A Photographic Memory -
Best New Nonscripted or Documentary Series
Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color
Executive Producers: Idris Elba, Johanna Woolford Gibbon, Jamilla Dumbuya, Jos Cushing, Khaled Gad, Matt Robins, Chris Muckle, Sean David Johnson, Simon Raikes
Co-Executive Producer: Annabel HobleyHollywood Black (WINNER)
Executive Producers: 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 Producers: David C. Brown, Laurens GrantPhotographer
Executive Producers: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Pagan Harleman, Betsy Forhan
Co-Executive Producers: Anna Barnes, Brent KunkleRen Faire
Executive Producers: Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Eli Bush, Dani Bernfeld, Lance Oppenheim, David Gauvey Herbert, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez
Co-Executive Producers: Abigail Rowe, Christian Vasquez, Max AllmanSocial Studies
Creator/Executive Producer: Lauren Greenfield
Executive Producers: Wallis Annenberg, Regina K. Scully, Andrea van Beuren, Frank Evers, Caryn Capotosto -
Best New Scripted Series
Baby Reindeer
Creator/Executive Producer: Richard Gadd
Executive Producers: Wim De Greef, Petra Fried, Matt Jarvis, Ed MacdonaldDiarra From Detroit
Creator/Executive Producer: Diarra Kilpatrick
Executive Producers: Kenya Barris, Miles Orion Feldsott, Darren Goldberg
Co-Executive Producers: Ester Lou, Mark GanekEnglish Teacher
Creator/Executive Producer: Brian Jordan Alvarez
Executive Producers: Paul Simms, Jonathan Krisel, Dave King
Co-Executive Producers: Kathryn Dean, Jake Bender, Zach DunnFantasmas
Creator/Executive Producer: Julio Torres
Executive Producers: Emma Stone, Dave McCary, Olivia Gerke, Alex Bach, Daniel Powell
Co-Executive Producer: Ali HertingShogun (WINNER)
Creators/Executive Producers: Rachel Kondo, Justin Marks
Executive Producers: Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca, Michaela Clavell
Co-Executive Producers: Shannon Goss, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich -
Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series
Brian Jordan Alvarez, English Teacher
Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Lily Gladstone, Under the Bridge
Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
Julianne Moore, Mary & George
Hiroyuki Sanada, Shogun
Anna Sawai, Shogun
Andrew Scott, Ripley
Julio Torres, Fantasmas -
Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series
Tadanobu Asano, Shogun
Enrico Colantoni, English Teacher
Betty Gilpin, Three Women
Chloe Guidry, Under the Bridge
Moeka Hoshi, Shogun
Stephanie Koenig, English Teacher
Patti LuPone, Agatha All Along
Nava Mau, Baby Reindeer (WINNER)
Ruth Negga, Presumed Innocent
Brian Tee, Expats -
Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series
Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer (WINNER)
Diarra Kilpatrick, Diarra From Detroit
Joe Locke, Agatha All Along
Megan Stott, Penelope
Hoa Xuande, The Sympathizer -
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
How to Die Alone (WINNER)
Ensemble Cast: Melissa DuPrey, Jaylee Hamidi, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Arkie Kandola, Elle Lorraine, Michelle McLeod, Chris “CP” Powell, Conrad Ricamora, Natasha Rothwell, Jocko Sims
