On Oscar eve, the focus shifts to independent film. Keeping with tradition, the Film Independent Spirit Awards took place on Saturday afternoon honoring the year’s best in small-scaled cinema. And it was a Moonlight kind of day with Barry Jenkins’ critically beloved coming-of-age tale sweeping the festivities. The earned five awards – including Best Feature and Best Director – along with the Robert Altman Award citation awarding its ensemble cast and casting. This sweep presents the strongest Indie Spirit showing for a single film in a decade. We shall see if the film can keep up tomorrow at the Oscars, where Moonlight is nominated for 8 Academy Awards.
Check out the full list of winners below:
- BEST FEATURE: Moonlight
- BEST DIRECTOR: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
- BEST MALE LEAD: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
- BEST FEMALE LEAD: Isabelle Huppert, Elle
- BEST SUPPORTING MALE: Ben Foster, Hell or High Water
- BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE: Molly Shannon, Other People
- BEST FIRST FEATURE: The Witch
- BEST SCREENPLAY: Moonlight – Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney
- BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY: The Witch – Robert Eggers
- BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: O.J.: Made in America
- BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM: Toni Erdmann
- BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Moonlight – James Laxton
- BEST FILM EDITING: Moonlight – Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders
- JOHN CASSAVETTES AWARD: Spa Night
- PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD: Jordana Mollick
- KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD: Anna Rose Holmer
- TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD: Nanfu Wang
- ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD: Moonlight (awarded to director, casting director and ensemble cast)