In a virtual presentation, Beanie Feldstein, Regina Hall, and Naomi Watts revealed the nominees for the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards, celebrating the best in indie productions in what has been yet another trying year for the film industry. As always, the nominees capture a thrilling cross-section of what’s possible on big and small screens alike.
“At the Spirit Awards, we look for uniqueness of vision; original, provocative subject matter; economy of means; and diversity both on [and off] screen,” said Film Independent president Josh Welsh. “At Film Independent, we champion creative independence and visual storytelling, and we support a community of filmmakers and film lovers who share those values.”
Nominated for best feature, the Spirit Awards’ top film prize, were “A Chiara” (Neon), “C’mon C’mon” (A24), “The Lost Daughter” (Netflix), “The Novice” (IFC Films), and “Zola” (A24). “Zola” leads the overall nominations with seven, followed by “The Novice” with five.
Writer-directors Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”), Mike Mills (“C’mon C’mon”), and Janicza Bravo (“Zola”) all earned both writing and directing nominations. (Jeremy O. Harris, who co-wrote “Zola,” is recognized for writing alongside Bravo.) Joining them in the director category are Lauren Hadaway (“The Novice”; she’s also nominated for her editing work alongside Nathan Nugent) and Ninja Thyberg (“Pleasure”). Other screenplay nominees include Todd Stephens (“Swan Song”) and Nikole Beckwith (“Together Together”). The best first feature prize, recognizing directors and producers making their screen debuts, includes nominees “7 Days,” “Holler,” “Queen of Glory,” “Test Pattern,” and “Wild Indian.”
The Robert Altman Award, given each year to a feature’s director, casting director, and ensemble, will go to the team behind “Mass,” including writer-director Fran Kranz; CDs Henry Russell Bergstein and Allison Estrin; and cast members Kagen Albright, Reed Birney, Michelle N. Carter, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, and Breeda Wool.
Among the film acting nominees are a number of paired co-stars: Colman Domingo and Taylour Paige (“Zola”), Simon Rex and Suzanna Son (“Red Rocket”), Isabelle Fuhrman and Amy Forsyth (“The Novice”), and Chaske Spencer and Michael Greyeyes (“Wild Indian”; the latter was also nominated for his work on “Rutherford Falls” in the TV category).
The Spirit Awards are celebrating the best in small screen indie projects for the second year running, and streamers and cable networks dominate once again. The category for best new scripted series includes “Blindspotting” (Starz), “It’s a Sin” (Channel 4 and HBO Max), “Reservation Dogs” (FX on Hulu), “The Underground Railroad” (Amazon), and “We Are Lady Parts” (Channel 4 and Peacock). This year’s ensemble TV cast in a scripted series prize will go to “Reservation Dogs.”
Per Welsh, of the nominated writers and directors, 44% are women and 38% are BIPOC. Of the nominating committee members who helped select this year’s contenders, 63% identify as women, 5% as nonbinary, and 56% as BIPOC. These numbers speak to Film Independent’s commitment to championing work that reflects its audience.
Film Independent members vote for the Spirit Awards winners. If you’re a supporter of indie cinema and want to cast your vote this year, the deadline to join is Dec. 21. The 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards will head to Santa Monica Beach on March 6, 2022, and will be broadcast live on IFC. For a full list of nominees and more information, visit the Spirit Awards website.
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