The 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards: Celebrating the Best in Independent Cinema and Television

The Film Independent Spirit Awards return for their 40th annual ceremony, continuing their legacy of honoring the best in independent filmmaking and groundbreaking television. Known for spotlighting bold, creative storytelling that thrives outside the traditional studio system, the Spirit Awards serve as a vital platform for emerging voices and boundary-pushing artists.

For the second consecutive year, Saturday Night Live alum Aidy Bryant takes the stage as host, bringing her signature wit and charm to the proceedings. The ceremony, set against the scenic backdrop of Santa Monica’s beachfront, kicks off at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will be streamed live on Film Independent’s official YouTube channel and X (formerly Twitter).

A Unique Space in the Awards Season Landscape

Unlike the Academy Awards or Golden Globes, the Spirit Awards focus exclusively on independent film and television. To qualify in the film categories, projects must adhere to a strict budget cap of $28 million or less—a rule that ensures the recognition of filmmakers operating outside the blockbuster sphere. The TV side, however, operates without a budgetary limitation, instead focusing on fresh and innovative new shows that have made a significant impact within their first season.

This emphasis on financial constraints means that while the Spirit Awards occasionally align with the Oscars—recent winners like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Nomadland, and Moonlight found success at both events—they often provide a stage for films that might otherwise be overshadowed by bigger-budgeted productions. This year, for instance, critically acclaimed indie Past Lives is a favorite at the Spirits, even as the Academy Awards seem poised to reward large-scale epics like Oppenheimer.

Another defining characteristic of the Indie Spirits is their commitment to inclusivity. All acting categories are gender-neutral, a departure from the traditional “Best Actor” and “Best Actress” distinctions found at other major awards shows. This shift, implemented in 2023, results in a more streamlined set of categories: Best Lead Performance, Best Supporting Performance, and Best Breakthrough Performance for both film and television. Additionally, television projects have a Best Ensemble Cast category, recognizing the collective strength of performances in standout series.

This Year’s Leading Contenders

Heading into the ceremony, several films and television series have emerged as frontrunners.

On the film side, Sean Baker’s Anora and Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow lead the nominations with five each, demonstrating the breadth of independent cinema—from Baker’s raw, character-driven storytelling to Schoenbrun’s surreal, genre-defying approach. Other films generating significant buzz include Dìdi, Baby Reindeer, and English Teacher, each securing four nominations. Meanwhile, The Apprentice, Janet Planet, Sing Sing, and Agatha All Along are all strong contenders with three nominations apiece.

In the television categories, FX’s historical epic Shōgun dominates the field with five nominations, reaffirming its status as one of the year’s most ambitious and critically lauded series. Other highly anticipated nominees include Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, a gripping limited series based on a true story, and Dìdi, a tender coming-of-age drama that has won over audiences and critics alike.

With a mix of established auteurs and rising talents, this year’s Spirit Awards promise to showcase some of the most exciting work in contemporary film and television. The event is not just a celebration of independent storytelling but also a testament to the power of cinema and television to push artistic boundaries and amplify underrepresented voices.

As the ceremony unfolds, all eyes will be on whether Anora and I Saw the TV Glow can convert their nominations into major wins, if Shōgun will sweep the TV categories, and which breakout stars will cement their place in Hollywood’s ever-evolving landscape.

Where to Watch

For those eager to see which films and series take home top honors, the 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards will be streaming live on Film Independent’s YouTube channel and X (formerly Twitter), offering fans worldwide the chance to be part of the action.

Follow along as we update the winners in real time below.

MOVIES

Best Feature

Anora

I Saw the TV Glow

Nickel Boys

Sing Sing

The Substance

Best Director

Ali Abbasi, The Apprentice

Sean Baker, Anora

Brady Corbet, The Brutalist

Alonso Ruizpalacios, La Cocina

Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow

Best First Feature

Dìdi

In the Summers

Janet Planet

The Piano Lesson

Problemista

Best Lead Performance

Amy Adams, Nightbitch

Ryan Destiny, The Fire Inside

Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Keith Kupferer, Ghostlight

Mikey Madison, Anora

Demi Moore, The Substance

Hunter Schafer, Cuckoo

Justice Smith, I Saw the TV Glow

June Squibb, Thelma

Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice

Best Supporting Performance

Yura Borisov, Anora

Joan Chen, Dìdi

Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson

Jack Haven, I Saw the TV Glow

Carol Kane, Between the Temples

Karren Karagulian, Anora

Kani Kusruti, Girls Will Be Girls

Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin, Sing Sing

Adam Pearson, A Different Man

Best Breakthrough Performance

Isaac Krasner, Big Boys

Katy O'Brian, Love Lies Bleeding

Mason Alexander Park, National Anthem

René Pérez Joglar, In the Summers

WINNER: Maisy Stella, My Old Ass

Best Screenplay

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Heretic

Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain

Megan Park, My Old Ass

Aaron Schimberg, A Different Man

Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow

Best First Screenplay

Joanna Arnow, The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

Annie Baker, Janet Planet

India Donaldson, Good One

Julio Torres, Problemista

Sean Wang, Dìdi

Best Documentary

Gaucho Gaucho

Hummingbirds

No Other Land

Patrice: The Movie

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat

Best International Film

All We Imagine as Light

Black Dog

Flow

Green Border

Hard Truths

Best Cinematography

Đinh Duy Hưng, Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell

Jomo Fray, Nickel Boys

Maria von Hausswolff, Janet Planet

Juan Pablo Ramírez, La Cocina

Rina Yang, The Fire Inside

Best Editing

Laura Colwell and Vanara Taing, Jazzy

Olivier Bugge Coutté and Olivia Neergaard-Holm, The Apprentice

Anne McCabe, Nightbitch

Hansjörg Weißbrich, September 5

Arielle Zakowski, Dìdi

John Cassavetes Award

Big Boys

Ghostlight

Girls Will Be Girls

Jazzy

The People's Joker

Robert Altman Award

WINNER: His Three Daughters

Director: Azazel Jacobs

Casting Director: Nicole Arbusto

Ensemble Cast: Jovan Adepo, Jasmine Bracey, Carrie Coon, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Randy Ramos Jr., and Jay O. Sanders

Producers Award

Alex Coco, producer of Anora

Sarah Winshall, producer of I Saw the TV Glow

Zoë Worth, producer of Thelma

Someone to Watch Award

Nicholas Colia, Director of Griffin in Summer

Sarah Friedland, Director of Familiar Touch

Phan Thien An, Director of Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell

Truer than Fiction Award

Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, Directors of Sugarcane

Carla Gutiérrez, Director of Frida

Rachel Elizabeth Seed, Director of A Photographic Memory

Television

Best New Scripted Series

Baby Reindeer

Diarra From Detroit

English Teacher

Fantasmas

Shōgun

Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series

Erased: WW2's Heroes of Color

Hollywood Black

Photographer

Ren Faire

Social Studies

Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series

Brian Jordan Alvarez, English Teacher

Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer

Lily Gladstone, Under the Bridge

Kathryn Hahn, Agatha All Along

Cristin Milioti, The Penguin

Julianne Moore, Mary & George

Hiroyuki Sanada, Shōgun

Anna Sawai, Shōgun

Andrew Scott, Ripley

Julio Torres, Fantasmas

Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series

Tadanobu Asano, Shōgun

Enrico Colantoni, English Teacher

Betty Gilpin, Three Women

Chloe Guidry, Under the Bridge

Moeka Hoshi, Shōgun

Stephanie Koenig, English Teacher

Patti LuPone, Agatha All Along

Nava Mau, Baby Reindeer

Ruth Negga, Presumed Innocent

Brian Tee, Expats

Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series

Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer

Diarra Kilpatrick, Diarra From Detroit

Joe Locke, Agatha All Along

Megan Stott, Penelope

Hoa Xuande, The Sympathizer

Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series

How to Die Alone

Ensemble Cast: Melissa DuPrey, Jaylee Hamidi, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Arkie Kandola, Elle Lorraine, Michelle McLeod, Chris “CP” Powell, Conrad Ricamora, Natasha Rothwell, Jocko Sims

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The 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards: Celebrating the Best in Independent Cinema and Television