Film Independent handed out top honors to Spotlight, Beasts of No Nation and Room at Saturday afternoon's 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards.
Carol, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Krisha, The Look of Silence, Son of Saul and Tangerine also received awards at the ceremony, which was held in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. Spotlight received the Robert Altman Award.
In addition to being the celebration that honors artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision, the Spirit Awards is the primary fundraiser for Film Independent's year-round programs.
And the winners are…
Best Feature: Spotlight (Open Road Films)
Producers: Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar
Best Director: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight (Open Road Films)
Best Screenplay: Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, Spotlight (Open Road Films)
Best First Feature: The Diary of a Teenage Girl (Sony Pictures Classics)
Director: Marielle Heller
Producers: Miranda Bailey, Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit
Best First Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Room (A24)
John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): Krisha (A24)
Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith
Best Supporting Female: Mya Taylor,Tangerine (Magnolia Pictures)
Best Supporting Male: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation (Bleecker Street/Netflix)
Best Female Lead: Brie Larson, Room (A24)
Best Male Lead: Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation (Bleecker Street/Netflix)
Robert Altman Award: Spotlight (Open Road Films)
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors: Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Michael Cyril Creighton, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d'Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
Best Cinematography: Ed Lachman, Carol (The Weinstein Company)
Best Editing: Tom McArdle, Spotlight (Open Road Films)
Best International Film: Son of Saul (Hungary – Sony Pictures Classics)
Director: László Nemes
Best Documentary: The Look of Silence (Drafthouse Films/Participant Media)
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer
Producer: Signe Byrge Sørensen
2016 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS
BY DISTRIBUTOR
5 Open Road Films
3 A24
2 Bleecker Street/Netflix
2 Sony Pictures Classics
1 Drafthouse Films/Participant Media
1 Magnolia Pictures
1 The Weinstein Company
On January 9 the following winners were honored at the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant and Nominee Brunch at BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood:
Mel Eslyn received the Piaget Producers Award. The award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality independent films. The annual award, in its 19th year, includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget for the 8th year. Finalists were Darren Dean, Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith.
Felix Thompson, director of King Jack, received the Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award. The award recognizes talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition. The award is in its 22nd year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl's Since 1851. Finalists for the award were Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck directors of God Bless the Child and Chloé Zhao director of Songs My Brothers Taught Me.
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, director of Incorruptible, received the Truer Than Fiction Award. The award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not received significant recognition. The award is in its 21st year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant. Finalists for the award were Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi directors of Among the Believers and Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex Sichel directors of A Woman Like Me.
