2017 Indie Spirits: ‘Moonlight’ Sweeps

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)

James Tisch: Managing Editor, mxdwn Movies || Writer. Procrastinator. Film Lover. Sparked by the power of the movies (the films of Alfred Hitchcock served as a pivotal gateway drug during childhood), James began ruminating and essaying the cinema at a young age and forged forward as a young blogger, contributor and eventual editor for mxdwn Movies. Outside of mxdwn, James served as a film programmer for one of the busiest theaters in the greater Los Angeles area and frequently works on the local film festival circuit. He resides in Los Angeles. james@mxdwn.com
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