Moonlight was the top winner at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, sweeping all the categories in which it was nominated. The coming-of-age drama about a young, gay black man struggling with his sexuality took home six awards at the ceremony—for best feature, director, screenplay, editing and cinematography—held Saturday afternoon under an enormous tent on the beach in Santa Monica, California. The film was also bestowed with the Robert Altman Award, which recognizes the year’s best ensemble cast. Moonlight’s message of inclusion was a topical theme that resonated throughout the laid-back award show. Many winners suggested political opposition to President Donald Trump in their speeches, specifically targeting policies that discriminate against immigrants and the transgender community.

“I hope that the president would consider watching a film like Moonlight and learn about its message of inclusivity and humanity,” writer and director Barry Jenkins told Vanity Fair at the ceremony, sponsored by FIJI Water and Landmark Vineyards. “I hope that he would be exposed to different perspectives, different opinions and other representations to understand the truth. When there is love, we expand, and when there is fear, we retract. What’s happening in the world politically is causing lots of retraction, and more stories of inclusion and love and truth has to be told.”

Casey Affleck, who picked up the best male lead award for his performance as a grieving father in Manchester By the Sea, used his acceptance speech to criticize Trump and his advisers.

“I just want to say the polices of this administration are abhorrent and will not last. They really are un-American,” said Affleck, who wore a shirt that read “Love” in Arabic and a blue American Civil Liberties Union ribbon on the lapel of his jacket. “It’s the time to struggle with the future and for the soul of our nation. I know this feels preachy and boring and I’m preaching to the choir, but I’m just lending my little voice to the chorus here.”

Hosts Nick Kroll and John Mulaney joined in on the political slams, taking a few jabs at the Commander-in-Chief themselves. “Hey, Trump: you and Robert Durst”—the subject of HBO’s celebrated docu-series The Jinx, who was charged with first-degree murder after the series aired—“are both rich sociopaths from New York real estate empires,” mocked Mulaney. “Yet somehow, Robert Dust is more likable.”

Andrew Ahn, the writer-director of the gay drama Spa Night, gave a crowd-pleasing message of unity when he won the John Cassavetes award—which honors films that are made for less than $500,000. “Now more than ever, it’s so important that we support stories told by and about communities that are marginalized,” said Ahn, a gay Korean-American. “We need to tell stories about immigrants, about Muslims, women, people of color, gay and transgender. Film is such a powerful tool and we need to humanize these communities so that we can’t be pushed aside and be labeled as other. We are part of this great country, and we are undeniable.”

Former Saturday Night Live star Molly Shannon was named best supporting actress for playing a mother battling cancer in the drama Other People. She enthusiastically accepted the honor with a moving speech about the importance of telling stories about cancer survivors, paying tribute to “all the moms who go to the end of the earth for their kids and families.” She ended her speech by channeling her lovable, yet awkward Catholic high school character, Mary Katherine Gallagher, from S.N.L.

“I really, truly, in this moment, feel like a superstar!” she shouted, lunging forward on stage and raising both her arms—the same way she did in her beloved S.N.L. sketches, and in her 1999 feature film Superstar. Beaming with pride, Shannon received the loudest cheers of the day.