2015 Awards Season: Independent Spirit Awards Winners

February 27, 2016

Spotlight

Awards Season begins with the Independent Spirit Awards nominations, but they don't hand the awards out until the day before the Oscars. Spotlight was the big winner tonight, but it wasn’t the only one.

The categories and winners are...

BEST FEATURE

BEST DIRECTOR

BEST SCREENPLAY

BEST FIRST FEATURE

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY

BEST FEMALE LEAD

BEST MALE LEAD

BEST SUPPORTING MALE

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE

BEST DOCUMENTARY

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

BEST EDITING

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast)

Also announced were the winners for the three Filmmaker Grant Awards.

Piaget Producers Award

Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award

Lenscrafter Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant attention.

Notes and Reactions...

  • Spotlight picked up four wins, which could be a sign it will do better than expected on Oscar night.
  • Room and Beasts of No Nation picked up two wins each.
  • Meanwhile, Carol had six nominations, but only one win.
  • Mya Taylor made history by becoming the first transgender actress to win and Independent Spirit Award.

-

Filed under: Idris Elba, Brie Larson, , Mel Eslyn, Tom McArdle, Josh Singer, Ed Lachman, Emma Donoghue, Mya Taylor, Felix Thompson, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Abraham Attah