2016 Spirit Awards Winners: ‘Spotlight’ Wins Five Awards

Spotlight Movie Cast
The cast of ‘Spotlight’ (Photo Courtesy of Open Road Films)

Spotlight was in the spotlight at Film Independent’s Spirit Awards, earning five awards including Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Other big winners at the February 27, 2016 event held on the beach in Santa Monica included Room and Beasts of No Nation, with Idris Elba (overlooked for an Oscar nomination) picking up the Best Supporting Actor award. The 31st Spirit Awards also handed out trophies to Carol, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Krisha, The Look of Silence, Son of Saul, and Tangerine.

SNL‘s Kate McKinnon and Silicon Valley’s Sumail Nanjiani hosted this year’s Spirit Awards which aired live on IFC.

2016 Spirit Awards Winners:


    Best Feature: Spotlight
    Best Director: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
    Best Screenplay: Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, Spotlight
    Best First Feature: The Diary of a Teenage Girl Director: Marielle Heller
    Best First Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Room
    John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000): Krisha
    Best Supporting Female: Mya Taylor, Tangerine
    Best Supporting Male: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
    Best Female Lead: Brie Larson, Room
    Best Male Lead: Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation
    Best Cinematography: Ed Lachman, Carol
    Best Editing: Tom McArdle, Spotlight
    Best International Film: Son of Saul Director: László Nemes
    Best Documentary: The Look of Silence Director: Joshua Oppenheimer

    Robert Altman Award: Spotlight 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