Celine Song害羞草研究所檚 quiet romance 害羞草研究所淧ast Lives害羞草研究所� won two of the biggest awards at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Sunday afternoon, including best feature and best director. Other big winners were Cord Jefferson害羞草研究所檚 comedic satire 害羞草研究所� American Fiction,害羞草研究所� with Jeffrey Wright winning for lead performer; and Alexander Payne害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所� The Holdovers,害羞草研究所� which won prizes for Da害羞草研究所橵ine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa.
The 39th edition of the show was held Sunday in a beachside tent in Santa Monica, California, and streamed live on IMDb and Film Independent害羞草研究所檚 YouTube channels and X accounts.
害羞草研究所淭hank you so much for letting me share what it feels like to be human, to love and be loved, and thank you for loving our film,害羞草研究所� Song said in accepting the directing prize.
Her film was among the top nominated at the show, alongside 害羞草研究所淢ay December,害羞草研究所� which won only one award (for Samy Burch害羞草研究所檚 first screenplay) and 害羞草研究所淎merican Fiction,害羞草研究所� which fared better.
Wright won for playing a frustrated author who becomes wildly successful by writing something he hates in 害羞草研究所淎merican Fiction.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淵ou go to these awards shows, you kind of grow tired of them,害羞草研究所� Wright said. 害羞草研究所淎nd then you get one, and it kind of changes the vibe a little bit.害羞草研究所�
He noted that it was made independently because 害羞草研究所渘obody wanted to finance it.害羞草研究所�
The Spirit Awards sit firmly within the larger Hollywood awards season, which culminates with the Oscars on March 10. But with a budget cap of $20 million for nominees, the show celebrates films that sometimes go unheralded, or at least under-nominated, at the bigger shows.
害羞草研究所淲elcome to the Film Independent Spirit Awards, also known as the bisexual oscars,害羞草研究所� host Aidy Bryant said. Bryant called it 害羞草研究所渢he only place in the world where $20 million is like no money.害羞草研究所�
Randolph continued her sweep of the broader season, winning best supporting performance for playing the grieving cook Mary Lamb in 害羞草研究所淭he Holdovers.害羞草研究所� Not 24 hours ago, right across town, she also picked up the best supporting actress award at the SAG Awards.
害羞草研究所淚ndependent films are the beating heart of our industry, and they are worth fighting for,害羞草研究所� Randolph said. She did, however, wish that they might have been able to afford heated seats while filming in Boston in the winter.
Randolph beat out the likes of Anne Hathaway (害羞草研究所淓ileen害羞草研究所�), Charles Melton (害羞草研究所淢ay December害羞草研究所�) and Sterling K. Brown (害羞草研究所淎merican Fiction害羞草研究所�) for the prize. The Spirit Awards switched to gender neutral acting awards in 2022. The first awards were given at the 2023 show.
Her co-star, Sessa, later won the breakthrough prize.
害羞草研究所淚 promise it害羞草研究所檚 not all downhill from here,害羞草研究所� Sessa said, thanking his high school acting teachers.
Last year, 害羞草研究所淓verything Everywhere All At Once害羞草研究所� swept the Spirit Awards before going on to do the same at the Oscars. But this year, many top Oscar contenders 害羞草研究所� including 害羞草研究所淥ppenheimer,害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所淏arbie害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淜illers of the Flower Moon害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� would not have qualified.
Kaouther Ben Hania害羞草研究所檚 film 害羞草研究所淔our Daughters,害羞草研究所� which is nominated for the corresponding Oscar, won best documentary. And Justine Triet害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淎natomy of a Fall, 害羞草研究所� also nominated for best picture at the Oscars, won best international feature over 害羞草研究所淭he Zone of Interest.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淟os Angeles has a special place in my heart. It害羞草研究所檚 the city of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands,害羞草研究所� Triet said. 害羞草研究所淲ithout discovering them at their films at the age of 20, I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have had the desire to make my own films and I wouldn害羞草研究所檛 be here today.害羞草研究所�
The Cassavetes ethos actually has its own award, honoring a film made for under $1 million. That prize went this year to 害羞草研究所淔remont,害羞草研究所� about an Afghan translator working for a Chinese fortune cookie factory.
The show had some unexpected background noise, from one man with a loudspeaker conducting a pro-Palestine protest outside the tent that lasted for some time.
害羞草研究所淲e are at the beach, and people are celebrating their freedom of speech,害羞草研究所� Bryant said.
The shouting outside disrupted Jim Gaffigan害羞草研究所檚 tribute to 害羞草研究所淛ury Duty害羞草研究所� and many more winners害羞草研究所� speeches. Comedian Jimmy O. Yang, speaking from the stage to present the best cinematography award, assumed it was a heckler outside.
Later, 害羞草研究所淔remont害羞草研究所� filmmaker Babak Jalali said he was sure that what was being said outside the tent was much more important than anything he had to say.
The Spirit Awards also honor television. Netflix害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淏eef害羞草研究所� won best new scripted series and Ali Wong picked up best lead performance.
Nick Offerman won best supporting performance in a new scripted series for his turn in 害羞草研究所淭he Last of Us.害羞草研究所� And 11-year-old actor Keivonn Montreal Woodard also won the breakthrough performance award for a new scripted series for 害羞草研究所淭he Last of Us,害羞草研究所� giving his acceptance speech in American Sign Language.
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
