Film Independent has announced the nominations for the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards! Now in its 35th year, the Spirit Awards are the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs which cultivate the careers of emerging filmmakers and promote diversity and inclusion in the industry. Film Independent President Josh Welsh presided over the press conference with actors Zazie Beetz (Atlanta, Joker, Deadpool 2) and Natasha Lyonne (Ad Astra, Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll) presenting the nominations, hosted by The LINE LA. Nominees for Best Feature included A Hidden Life, Clemency, The Farewell, Marriage Story and Uncut Gems. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Santa Monica beach-adjacent award show.
Marriage Story was selected to receive the Robert Altman Award, which is bestowed upon one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. The Altman Award was created in 2008 in honor of legendary director Robert Altman who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts.
“The Film Independent Spirit Awards celebrate the best films of the year – films characterized by creative independence and original, provocative subject matter, as well as diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision,” said Film Independent President Josh Welsh. “At a time when the film business is undergoing such change and challenges, it’s important to loudly celebrate the work itself – the films! – and to recognize 2019 as a year of bold, audacious and accomplished filmmaking. That’s what the Spirit Awards are all about.”
Welsh added, “The Spirit Awards are a unique awards show in that the winners are chosen by the members of Film Independent, an open-access organization made up of film lovers and filmmakers alike. To everyone who cares about film and who wants to help shine a bright light on the great work being made today, I urge you to join Film Independent by December 5 and become part of our voting body!”
Winners, who are selected by Film Independent Members, will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 8, 2020. The awards ceremony will be held on the beach in Santa Monica, just north of the Santa Monica Pier. The show will be broadcast live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT/ 5:00 pm ET.
The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees selected nominees from over 430 submissions this year and applied the following guidelines in determining the nominations: uniqueness of vision, original and provocative subject matter, economy of means. The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees are comprised of writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, critics, casting directors, film festival programmers and other working film professionals. Winners of the Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grants will be announced at the Film Independent Spirit Awards Filmmaker Grant and Nominee Brunch on Saturday, January 4, 2020.
Film Independent is proud to announce the return of its collaboration with American Airlines, who joins for the sixth year and returns to fund the Bonnie Award, recognizing a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant. And we welcome this year’s Official Automotive Partner, Mazda.
Want to vote?
Film Independent Members vote to determine the winners at the Spirit Awards. Members can attend free Nominee Screening Series in Los Angeles, receive DVD screeners of select nominees by mail and digital screeners online. Members must be current by December 5, 2019 to receive full voting benefits. Join today at filmindependent.org/join.
AND THE 2020 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINEES ARE . . .
BEST FEATURE (Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
A Hidden Life – Producers: Elisabeth Bentley, Dario Bergesio, Grant Hill, Josh Jeter
Clemency – Producers: Timur Bekbosunov, Julian Cautherley, Bronwyn Cornelius, Peter Wong
The Farewell – Producers: Anita Gou, Daniele Melia, Andrew Miano, Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub, Lulu Wang, Chris Weitz, Jane Zheng
Marriage Story – Producers: Noah Baumbach, David Heyman
Uncut Gems – Producers: Eli Bush, Sebastian Bear-McClard, Scott Rudin
BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Booksmart – Director: Olivia Wilde; Producers: Chelsea Barnard, David Distenfeld, Jessica Elbaum, Megan Ellison, Katie Silberman
The Climb – Director/Producer: Michael Angelo Covino; Producers: Noah Lang, Kyle Marvin
Diane – Director: Kent Jones; Producers: Luca Borghese, Ben Howe, Caroline Kaplan, Oren Moverman
The Last Black Man in San Francisco – Director/Producer: Joe Talbot; Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Khaliah Neal, Christina Oh
The Mustang – Director: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre; Producer: Ilan Goldman
See You Yesterday – Director: Stefon Bristol; Producer: Spike Lee
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000 (Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Burning Cane – Writer/Director/Producer: Phillip Youmans; Producers: Ojo Akinlana, Jakob Johnson, Karen Kaia Livers, Mose Mayer, Wendell Pierce, Isaac Webb, Cassandra Youmans
Colewell – Writer/Director: Tom Quinn; Producers: Joshua Blum, Alexandra Byer, Craig Shilowich, Matthew Thurm
Give Me Liberty – Writer/Director/Producer: Kirill Mikhanovsky; Writer/Producer: Alice Austen; Producers: Val Abel, Wally Hall, Michael Manasseri, George Rush, Sergey Shtern
Premature – Writer/Director/Producer: Rashaad Ernesto Green; Writer: Zora Howard; Producer: Darren Dean, Joy Ganes
Wild Nights With Emily – Writer/Director/Producer: Madeleine Olnek; Producers: Anna Margarita Albelo, Casper Andreas, Max Rifkind-Barron
BEST DIRECTOR
Alma Har’el – Honey Boy
Lorene Scafaria – Hustlers
Julius Onah – Luce
Robert Eggers – The Lighthouse
Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie – Uncut Gems
BEST SCREENPLAY
Noah Baumbach – Marriage Story
Jason Begue, Shawn Snyder – To Dust
Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie – Uncut Gems
Chinonye Chukwu – Clemency
Tarell Alvin McCraney – High Flying Bird
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Fredrica Bailey & Stefon Bristol – See You Yesterday
Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen – Driveways
Bridget Savage Cole & Danielle Krudy – Blow the Man Down
Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn Luebbe – Greener Grass
James Montague & Craig W. Sanger – The Vast of Night
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Todd Banhazl – Hustlers
Jarin Blaschke – The Lighthouse
Natasha Braier – Honey Boy
Chananun Chotrungroj – The Third Wife
Pawel Pogorzelski – Midsommar
BEST EDITING
Julie Béziau – The Third Wife
Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie – Uncut Gems
Tyler L. Cook – Sword of Trust
Louise Ford – The Lighthouse
Kirill Mikhanovsky – Give Me Liberty
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Karen Allen – Colewell
Hong Chau – Driveways
Elisabeth Moss – Her Smell
Mary Kay Place – Diane
Alfre Woodard – Clemency
Renée Zellweger – Judy
BEST MALE LEAD
Chris Galust – Give Me Liberty
Kelvin Harrison Jr. – Luce
Robert Pattinson – The Lighthouse
Matthias Schoenaerts – The Mustang
Adam Sandler – Uncut Gems
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers
Taylor Russell – Waves
Lauren “LoLo” Spencer – Give Me Liberty
Octavia Spencer – Luce
Zhao Shuzhen – The Farewell
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Willem Dafoe – The Lighthouse
Noah Jupe – Honey Boy
Shia LaBeouf – Honey Boy
Jonathan Majors – The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Wendell Pierce – Burning Cane
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast
Marriage Story – Director: Noah Baumbach; Casting Directors: Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler; Ensemble Cast: Alan Alda, Laura Dern, Adam Driver, Julie Hagerty, Scarlett Johansson, Ray Liotta, Azhy Robertson, Merritt Wever
BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
American Factory – Director/Producer: Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert; Producers: Julie Parker Benello, Jeff Reichert
Apollo 11 – Director/Producer: Todd Douglas Miller; Producers: Evan Krauss, Thomas Baxley Petersen
For Sama – Director: Edward Watts; Director/Producer: Waad al-Kateab
Honeyland – Director: Tamara Kotevska; Director/Producer: Ljubo Stefanov; Producer: Atanas Georgiev
Island of the Hungry Ghosts – Director/Producer: Gabrielle Brady; Producers: Gizem Acarla, Samm Haillay, Alex Kelly, Alexander Wadouh
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
Invisible Life – Brazil, Director: Karim Aïnouz
Les Misérables – France, Director: Ladj Ly
Parasite – South Korea, Director: Bong Joon-Ho
Portrait of a Lady on Fire – France, Director: Céline Sciamma
Retablo – Peru, Director: Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio L.
The Souvenir – United Kingdom, Director: Joanna Hogg
BONNIE AWARD – Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the third Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.
Marielle Heller
Kelly Reichardt
Lulu Wang
PRODUCERS AWARD – The 23rd annual Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Mollye Asher
Krista Parris
Ryan Zacarias
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 26th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Rashaad Ernesto Green – Director of Premature
Ash Mayfair – Director of The Third Wife
Joe Talbot – Director of The Last Black Man in San Francisco
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 25th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Khalik Allah – Director of Black Mother
Davy Rothbart – Director of 17 Blocks
Nadia Shihab – Director of Jaddoland
Erick Stoll & Chase Whiteside – Director of América
About the Film Independent Spirit Awards
Now in its 35th year, the Film Independent Spirit Awards is an annual celebration honoring artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody independence and originality. The Spirit Awards recognizes the achievements of American independent filmmakers and promotes the finest independent films of the year to a wider audience. The Film Independent Spirit Awards are sponsored by Premier Sponsors American Airlines, IFC and Mazda. Bulleit Frontier Whiskey is the Official Spirit. FIJI Water is the Official Water. Getty Images is the Official Photographer. Town & Country Event Rentals is the Exclusive Rental Company.
To learn more about attending the Spirit Awards and supporting Film Independent please contact Jennifer Murby, Director of Individual Giving, jmurby@filmindependent.org.
For more information on submission guidelines, voting, the history of the Spirit Awards and more, please visit spiritawards.com.
About Film Independent
For over 38 years, Film Independent has helped filmmakers get their projects made and seen. The nonprofit’s mission is to champion creative independence in visual storytelling and support a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision.
In addition to producing the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the organization supports creative professionals with Artist Development programs, grants and labs, and signature mentorship program Project Involve fosters the careers of talented filmmakers from underrepresented communities. Weekly Education events and workshops equip filmmakers of all ages and experience levels with tools and resources. International programs include Global Media Makers, a cultural exchange program that provides career-building opportunities for international film professionals. Year-round screening series Film Independent Presents delivers monthly, unique cinematic experiences to Members in Los Angeles and beyond.
While working to make the entertainment industry more inclusive, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists. Film lovers, industry professionals and anyone passionate about visual storytelling can become a Member at filmindependent.org and find @FilmIndependent across social platforms.
