This is the easy-breezy ceremony before the Oscars. And because of that, it sometimes gets forgotten. I understand the idea of piggybacking them, because everyone is in town and it gives these a boost, but I do often wish these things could breathe a little. With a weekend wallpapered with Oscars parties, no one even really heard much about who won, so here you go, Indie Spirits:
Best Feature: Get Out
Best First Feature: Ingrid Goes West
John Cassavetes Award (for a $500k movie): Life and Nothing More
Best Director: Jordan Peele
Best Screenplay: Lady Bird
Best First Screenplay: Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani
Best Cinematography: Call Me By Your Name
Best Editing: I, Tonya
Best Female Lead: Frances McDormand
Best Male Lead: Timothee Chalamet
Best Supporting Female (yes that’s how they phrase it): Allison Janney
Best Supporting Male: Sam Rockwell
Robert Altman Award (to one movie’s director, casting director, and ensemble): Mudbound
Best Documentary: Faces, Places
Best International Film: A Fantastic Woman
Bonnie Award (a grant to a “mid-career” female director): Chloe Zhao
Jeep Truer Than Fiction Award (to an emerging, as-yet unrecognized documentarian): Jonathan Olshefski, Director of “Quest”
Kiehl’s Someone To Watch: Justin Chon, Director of “Gook”