Star Wars: The Force Awakens star John Boyega and Elizabeth Olsen had the honor of announcing the nominees for Film Independent’s 2016 Spirit Awards. The Spirit Awards recognize the best in independent filmmaking, with this year’s list topped by Carol with six nominations including Best Feature, Best Director, and two Best Female Lead nods for Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Spotlight and Beasts of No Nation picked up five nominations while Tangerine and Anomalisa both scored four.
“This year’s nominees are a testament to the strength, vitality and diversity of independent, artist-driven filmmaking,” stated Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “It’s an astonishingly strong group of films and performances this year and we look forward to celebrating them all at the Spirit Awards.”
Winners will be announced the day before the Oscars on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at a ceremony on the beach in Santa Monica, CA.
2016 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS
BEST FEATURE
Anomalisa
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
Spotlight
Tangerine
BEST FIRST FEATURE
The Diary of a Teenage Girl – Director: Marielle Heller
James White – Director: Josh Mond
Manos Sucias – Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka
Mediterranea – Director: Jonas Carpignano
Songs My Brothers Taught Me – Director/Producer: Chloé Zhao
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer.
Advantageous – Writer/Director/Producer: Jennifer Phang, Writer/Producer: Jacqueline Kim
Producers: Robert Chang, Ken Jeong, Moon Molson, Theresa Navarro
Christmas, Again – Writer/Director/Producer: Charles Poekel
Heaven Knows What – Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie, Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Producers: Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear McClard
Krisha – Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults, Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, Wilson Smith
Out of My Hand – Writer/Director: Takeshi Fukunaga, Writer/Producer: Donari Braxton, Producer: Mike Fox
BEST DIRECTOR
Sean Baker – Tangerine
Cary Joji Fukunaga – Beasts of No Nation
Todd Haynes – Carol
Duke Johnson & Charlie Kaufman – Anomalisa
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
David Robert Mitchell – It Follows
BEST SCREENPLAY
Charlie Kaufman – Anomalisa
Donald Margulies – The End of the Tour
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer – Spotlight
Phyllis Nagy – Carol
S. Craig Zahler – Bone Tomahawk
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Jesse Andrews – Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Jonas Carpignano – Mediterranea
Emma Donoghue – Room
Marielle Heller – The Diary of a Teenage Girl
John Magary, Story by Russell Harbaugh and Myna Joseph – The Mend
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cary Joji Fukunaga – Beasts of No Nation
Michael Gioulakis – It Follows
Ed Lachman – Carol
Reed Morano – Meadowland
Joshua James Richards – Songs My Brothers Taught Me
BEST EDITING
Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie – Heaven Knows What
Tom McArdle – Spotlight
Nathan Nugent – Room
Julio C. Perez IV – It Follows
Kristan Sprague – Manos Sucias
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Brie Larson – Room
Rooney Mara – Carol
Bel Powley – The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez – Tangerine
BEST MALE LEAD
Christopher Abbott – James White
Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation
Ben Mendelsohn – Mississippi Grind
Jason Segel – The End of the Tour
Koudous Seihon – Mediterranea
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Robin Bartlett – H.
Marin Ireland – Glass Chin
Jennifer Jason Leigh – Anomalisa
Cynthia Nixon – James White
Mya Taylor – Tangerine
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Kevin Corrigan – Results
Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation
Richard Jenkins – Bone Tomahawk
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.
Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors:Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee
Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
BEST DOCUMENTARY
(T)ERROR
Best of Enemies
Heart of a Dog
The Look of Silence
Meru
The Russian Woodpecker
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
Girlhood (France)
Mustang (France, Turkey)
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Sweden)
Son of Saul (Hungary)
19th ANNUAL 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
Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith
22nd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 22nd 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.
God Bless the Child – Directors: Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
King Jack – Director: Felix Thompson
Songs My Brothers Taught Me – Director: Chloé Zhao
21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 21st 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.
Among the Believers – Directors: Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi
Incorruptible – Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
A Woman Like Me – Directors: Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex Sichel
