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