Moonlight and American Honey top the list of the 2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominees with six nominations each. Manchester by the Sea followed with five nominations while Free in Deed, Jackie, and Other People each earned four nominations. The 2017 Spirit Awards honoring the best in independent films of 2016 will be held on Saturday, February 25th.
According to Film Independent, 382 films were considered for consideration. The nominees were selected by a committee made up of writers, directors, actors, critics, producers, cinematographers, editors, and casting directors.
2017 Spirit Awards Nominees:
BEST FEATURE
American Honey
Chronic
Jackie
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
BEST FIRST FEATURE
The Childhood of a Leader – Director: Brady Corbet
The Fits – Director/Producer: Anna Rose Holmer
Other People – Director: Chris Kelly
Swiss Army Man – Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
The Witch – Director: Robert Eggers
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000.
Free In Deed
Hunter Gatherer
Lovesong
Nakom
Spa Night
BEST DIRECTOR
Andrea Arnold – American Honey
Barry Jenkins – Moonlight
Pablo Larraín – Jackie
Jeff Nichols – Loving
Kelly Reichardt – Certain Women
BEST SCREENPLAY
Moonlight – Barry Jenkins, Story By Tarell Alvin McCraney
Manchester by the Sea – Kenneth Lonergan
20th Century Women – Mike Mills
Little Men – Ira Sachs & Mauricio Zacharias
Hell or High Water – Taylor Sheridan
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
The Witch – Robert Eggers
Other People – Chris Kelly
Barry – Adam Mansbach
Jean of the Joneses – Stella Meghie
Christine – Craig Shilowich
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Free in Deed – Ava Berkofsky
The Childhood of a Leader – Lol Crawley
The Eyes of My Mother – Zach Kuperstein
Moonlight – James Laxton
American Honey – Robbie Ryan
BEST EDITING
Swiss Army Man – Matthew Hannam
Manchester by the Sea – Jennifer Lame
Moonlight – Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders
Hell or High Water – Jake Roberts
Jackie – Sebastián Sepúlveda
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Annette Bening – 20th Century Women
Isabelle Huppert – Elle
Sasha Lane – American Honey
Ruth Negga – Loving
Natalie Portman – Jackie
BEST MALE LEAD
Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea
David Harewood – Free In Deed
Viggo Mortensen – Captain Fantastic
Jesse Plemons – Other People
Tim Roth – Chronic
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Edwina Findley – Free In Deed
Paulina Garcia – Little Men
Lily Gladstone – Certain Women
Riley Keough – American Honey
Molly Shannon – Other People
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Ralph Fiennes – A Bigger Splash
Ben Foster – Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges – Manchester by the Sea
Shia LaBeouf – American Honey
Craig Robinson – Morris from America
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – (Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
Moonlight
Director: Barry Jenkins
Casting Director: Yesi Ramirez
Ensemble Cast: Mahershala Ali, Patrick Decile, Naomie Harris, Alex Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monáe, Jaden Piner, Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders
BEST DOCUMENTARY
13th
Cameraperson
I Am Not Your Negro
O.J.: Made in America
Sonita
Under the Sun
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Aquarius (Brazil)
Chevalier (Greece)
My Golden Days (France)
Toni Erdmann (Germany and Romania)
Under the Shadow (Iran and U.K.)
20th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 20th 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:
Lisa Kjerulff
Jordana Mollick
Melody C. Roscher & Craig Shilowich
23rd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 23rd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes 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:
Andrew Ahn – Director of Spa Night
Claire Carré – Director of Embers
Anna Rose Holmer – Director of The Fits
Ingrid Jungermann – Director of Women Who Kill
22nd TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 22nd annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant:
Kristi Jacobson – Director of Solitary
Sara Jordenö – Director of Kiki
Nanfu Wang – Director of Hooligan Sparrow
