The Independent Spirit Awards took place yesterday in Los Angeles, dedicated to independent filmmakers.
The awards were striking against the Oscars entirely white set of nominees, presenting a diverse group of nominees (and winners!)
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Yahoo’s Kevin Polowy reports:
The Film Independent Spirit Awards were handed out on Saturday. Overall, the ceremony was dominated by the journalism thriller Spotlight, which won Best Feature, Best Director for Tom McCarthy, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and the Robert Altman Award for Best Ensemble. But the Spirit Awards — unfolding just one day before #OscarsSoWhite — made quite a statement when it came time to dole out the event’s acting prizes.
Three of the four acting awards were awarded to people of color, with Beasts of No Nation stars Abraham Attah (Best Male Lead) and Idris Elba (Best Supporting Male) winning alongside Tangerine breakout Mya Taylor (Best Supporting Female), who also became the first transgender actress to win a major award. Rounding out the acting categories was Best Female winner Brie Larson (Room), who’s largely considered a lock to win at the Oscars tomorrow night.
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Read the full winners’ list below:
Best Feature
Award given to the Producer
“Anomalisa”
“Beasts of No Nation”
“Carol”
“Spotlight” (WINNER)
“Tangerine”
Best Director
Cary Joji Fukunaga, “Beasts of No Nation”
Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson, “Anomalisa”
David Robert Mitchell, “It Follows”
Sean Baker, “Tangerine”
Todd Haynes, “Carol”
Tom McCarthy, “Spotlight” (WINNER)
Best Screenplay
Charlie Kaufman, “Anomalisa”
Donald Margulies, “The End of the Tour”
Phyllis Nagy, “Carol”
S. Craig Zahler, “Bone Tomahawk”
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, “Spotlight” (WINNER)
Best First Screenplay
Emma Donoghue, “Room” (WINNER)
Jesse Andrews, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”
John Magary, Russell Harbaugh, Myna Joseph, “The Mend”
Jonas Carpignano, “Mediterranea”
Marielle Heller, “The Diary of a Teenage Girl”
“The Diary of a Teenage Girl” (WINNER)
Best Female Lead
Bel Powley, “The Diary of a Teenage Girl”
Brie Larson, “Room” (WINNER)
Cate Blanchett, “Carol”
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, “Tangerine”
Rooney Mara, “Carol”
Best Male Lead
Abraham Attah, “Beasts of No Nation” (WINNER)
Ben Mendelsohn, “Mississippi Grind”
Christopher Abbott, “James White”
Jason Segel, “The End of the Tour”
Koudous Seihon, “Mediterranea”
https://instagram.com/p/BCUBoYOjvKP/?taken-by=abraham.attah.nii
Best Supporting Female
Cynthia Nixon, “James White”
Jennifer Jason Leigh, “Anomalisa”
Marin Ireland, “Glass Chin”
Mya Taylor, “Tangerine” (WINNER)
Robin Bartlett, “H.”
Best Supporting Male
Idris Elba, “Beasts of No Nation” (WINNER)
Kevin Corrigan, “Results”
Michael Shannon, “99 Homes”
Paul Dano, “Love & Mercy”
Richard Jenkins, “Bone Tomahawk”
Best Documentary
“(T)error”
“Best of Enemies”
“Heart of a Dog”
“Meru”
“The Look of Silence” (WINNER)
“The Russian Woodpecker”
Best Cinematography
Cary Joji Fukunaga, “Beasts of No Nation”
Ed Lachman, “Carol” (WINNER)
Joshua James Richards, “Songs My Brothers Taught Me”
Michael Gioulakis, “It Follows”
Reed Morano, “Meadowland”
Best Editing
Julo C. Perez IV, “It Follows”
Kristan Sprague, “Manos Sucias”
Nathan Nugent, “Room”
Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie, “Heaven Knows What”
Tom McArdle, “Spotlight” (WINNER)
Best International Film
“A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence”
“Embrace of the Serpent”
“Gilrhood”
“Mustang”
“Son of Saul” (WINNER)
John Cassavetes Award
Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer; Executive Producers are not awarded.
“Advantageous”
“Christmas, Again”
“Heaven Knows What”
“Krisha” (WINNER)
“Out of My Hand”
Robert Altman Award
“Spotlight”
Kiehl’s Someone to Watch Award
A talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.
Chloe Zhao, “Songs My Brothers Taught Me”
Felix Thompson, “King Jack” (WINNER)
Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck, “God Bless the Child”
Piaget Producers Award
The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
Darren Dean
Mel Eslyn (WINNER)
Rebecca Green & Laura D. Smith
Truer Than Fiction
Presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by LensCrafters.
Alex Sichel and Elizabeth Giamatti, “A Woman Like Me”
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, “Incorruptible” (WINNER)
Hemal Trivedi and Mohammed Ali Naqvi, “Among the Believers”
