As award season races toward its climax, Anora solidified its frontrunner status by claiming three major honors at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday afternoon. The indie darling took home Best Feature, alongside awards for director Sean Baker and lead performer Mikey Madison, cementing its momentum heading into the Oscars.
The ceremony, held in a sprawling tent near the Santa Monica beach, also saw Kieran Culkin snag Supporting Performance for A Real Pain, while Jesse Eisenberg won for the film’s screenplay.
Historically, the Spirit Awards have been a bellwether for Oscar success: in four of the last 10 years, the Best Feature winner has gone on to claim Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Since the Spirit Awards adopted gender-neutral acting categories in 2023, the Supporting Performance winner has won an Oscar both years, while the Lead Performance victor has earned a nomination but fallen short of the gold.
In the television realm, Shōgun triumphed as Best New Scripted Series, while Baby Reindeer dominated the acting categories, sweeping three awards, including Lead Performance for Richard Gadd, Supporting Performance for Nava Mau, and Breakthrough Performance for Jessica Gunning.
A Relaxed Yet Resilient Atmosphere
Host Aidy Bryant set the tone with her opening monologue, wryly dubbing the event “Hollywood’s third or fourth biggest night.” The quip captured the laid-back vibe of the afternoon affair, a stark contrast to the high-stakes glamour of other awards shows. Yet, the shadow of last month’s devastating Los Angeles wildfires loomed large. With several awards ceremonies postponed in the wake of the disaster, presenters and winners alike grappled with striking a balance between celebration and sensitivity.
“I know it feels a little silly to have an awards show now, but your films are important to people,” Bryant told the audience. “Independent film is passionate people working together to build something better. And who better to help rebuild the city of Los Angeles than our community?” She highlighted a donation fund for filmmakers impacted by the fires, adding, “Film is what this city was built on—and who built it? A bunch of annoying dorks like us.”
Sean Baker’s Rallying Cry for Indie Film
The night’s emotional peak came when Sean Baker accepted his Best Director prize for Anora. Unfurling a prepared speech from his pocket, Baker delivered an impassioned call to action about the “current state of indie film.” Identifying as an “indie-film lifer,” he emphasized his commitment to personal, theatrical storytelling—projects too bold for studio backing.
“The system has to change because this is simply unsustainable,” Baker declared, detailing the grueling timelines and personal toll of indie filmmaking. “We are creating product that creates jobs and revenue for the entire industry. We shouldn’t be barely getting by.” Urging higher upfront fees, he rallied the room: “Let’s demand what we’re worth… Let’s not undervalue ourselves any longer.”
His plea for collaboration among filmmakers, financiers, and distributors to sustain indie cinema sparked a standing ovation. “This is for all the indie-film lifers who are holding on and fighting the good fight,” Baker concluded, his voice resonating with resolve.
Navigating a Charged Moment
While last year’s Spirit Awards faced disruptions from pro-Palestinian protesters, this year’s event was less overtly political—though the outside world still seeped in. The documentary No Other Land, crafted by an Israeli-Palestinian collective, won its category, but with no representatives present, the moment passed without a speech. Elsewhere, Hunter Schafer, nominated for Cuckoo, presented an award amid personal headlines: her newly issued passport misgenders her, a reflection of shifting U.S. policies under the new administration. Schafer opted not to address it onstage.
Nava Mau, accepting her Supporting Performance win for Baby Reindeer, offered a stirring message of solidarity. “We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we do know our power,” she said. “We get to decide who we work with… We have all the power because we are the people, and our labor is everything. Let’s stick together—we’re going to get through it.”
Shuchi Telati, honored with the John Cassavetes Award for Girls Will Be Girls, echoed the sentiment: “These are dark times, and we’re culture makers. Thank you to all who support stories of quiet rebellion.”
A Bittersweet Victory and a Call for Visibility
The canceled Hulu series How to Die Alone won Ensemble Cast, with creator-star Natasha Rothwell delivering a tearful yet defiant speech. “For Black stories, visibility isn’t a privilege, it’s a necessity,” she said. Addressing the trans community, she added, “You are not alone. I see you. We see you. We stand with you.”
Justin Simien, accepting the New Non-Scripted Series award for Hollywood Black, spoke bluntly: “If you’re serious about stopping the white nationalist coup taking over the country… amplify Black history. Black people, we’ve been in a fascist country this whole time.”
Honoring Josh Welsh
Mid-ceremony, Film Independent’s acting president Brenda Robinson paid tribute to Josh Welsh, the organization’s longtime leader who passed away on New Year’s Eve after a five-year battle with colon cancer. The room erupted in applause and a tearful standing ovation at his mention. “Josh is a visionary… I speak about him in the present tense because he is still here,” Robinson said, vowing to carry forward his legacy.
Baker, in his Best Feature acceptance, also honored Welsh: “A true champion of independent voices and a wonderful, kind human being. We’ll miss you, Josh. Long live independent cinema.”
Spirit Awards: A Full List of Winners–
Best Feature: Anora
Director: Sean Baker, Anora
Lead Performance: Mikey Madison, Anora
Supporting Performance: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Screenplay: Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Best New Scripted Series: Shōgun
Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series: Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series: Nava Mau, Baby Reindeer
Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series: Jessica Gunning, Baby Reindeer.
With Anora poised as an Oscar contender and indie filmmakers rallying for their future, the Spirit Awards underscored both the resilience and the fragility of independent storytelling in a turbulent time.
