| 35th Independent Spirit Awards | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best in independent film |
| Date | February 8, 2020 |
| Site | Santa Monica Pier Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Hosted by | Aubrey Plaza |
| Highlights | |
| Best Feature | The Farewell |
| Most awards | Uncut Gems (3) |
| Most nominations | The Lighthouse (5) Uncut Gems (5) |
| Television coverage | |
| Channel | IFC |
The 35th Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2019, were presented by Film Independent on February 8, 2020. [1] The nominations were announced on November 21, 2019 by actresses Zazie Beetz and Natasha Lyonne. [2] [3] [4] The ceremony was televised in the United States by IFC, taking place inside its usual tent setting on a beach in Santa Monica, California. Aubrey Plaza returned to host the ceremony for the second time. [5]
| Nominations | Film |
|---|---|
| 5 | The Lighthouse |
| Uncut Gems | |
| 4 | Give Me Liberty |
| Honey Boy | |
| 3 | Clemency |
| Hustlers | |
| The Last Black Man in San Francisco | |
| Luce | |
| Marriage Story | |
| The Third Wife | |
| 2 | Burning Cane |
| Colewell | |
| Diane | |
| Driveways | |
| The Farewell | |
| The Mustang | |
| Premature | |
| See You Yesterday |
| Awards | Film |
|---|---|
| 3 | Uncut Gems |
| 2 | The Farewell |
| The Lighthouse | |
| Marriage Story |
(The award is given to its film director, casting director, and ensemble cast)
Recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl's.
Recognizes mid-career women directors with a body of work that demonstrates uniqueness of vision and a groundbreaking approach to film making. The award includes a $50,000 unrestricted grant funded by American Airlines.
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 funded by Piaget.
Presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Natasha Bianca Lyonne Braunstein is an American actress, producer, writer and director. She is known for playing Nicky Nichols on the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019), for which she received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress, and for her portrayal of Nadia Vulvokov on the Netflix series Russian Doll (2019–present), which she also co-created, executive produces, writes, and directs. For the latter, Lyonne has received nominations for three Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Since 2023, she has starred in the Peacock mystery series Poker Face. Lyonne was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2023.
The 30th Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2014, were presented by Film Independent on February 21, 2015. The nominations were announced on November 25, 2014. The ceremony was hosted by Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell, and aired live for the first time on IFC.
The 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2015, were presented by Film Independent on February 27, 2016. The nominations were announced on November 24, 2015. The ceremony was hosted by Kate McKinnon and Kumail Nanjiani, and broadcast live on IFC.
The Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award is presented to the ensemble cast, director and casting director of a film by the Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers. It is named after director, screenwriter, and producer Robert Altman, who is considered a "maverick" in naturalistic films.
Zazie Olivia Beetz is a German-American actress. She starred in the FX comedy-drama series Atlanta (2016–22), for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also starred in the Netflix anthology series Easy (2016–19) and voiced Amber Bennett in the adult animated superhero series Invincible.
The 32nd Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2016, were presented by Film Independent on February 25, 2017. The nominations were announced on November 22, 2016. The ceremony was hosted by Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, and broadcast live on IFC. Online streaming service Sundance Now live-streamed the ceremony concurrently with the telecast with an on-demand version available on Sundance Now.
The 33rd Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2017, were presented by Film Independent on March 3, 2018. The nominations were announced on November 21, 2017 by actresses Lily Collins and Tessa Thompson. The ceremony was televised in the United States by IFC, taking place inside its usual tent setting on a beach in Santa Monica, California. Nick Kroll and John Mulaney returned to host the ceremony for the second time.
Lucy in the Sky is a 2019 American psychological drama film loosely inspired by the life of NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, who is portrayed by Natalie Portman. The film was directed, co-produced, and co-written by Noah Hawley in his feature directorial debut. In addition to Portman, the film stars Jon Hamm, Zazie Beetz, Dan Stevens, Colman Domingo, and Ellen Burstyn.
Wounds is a 2019 psychological horror film written and directed by Babak Anvari, in his English language debut, and starring Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson, and Zazie Beetz. The film is based on the novella The Visible Filth by Nathan Ballingrud.
Uncut Gems is a 2019 American crime thriller film directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bronstein. It stars Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian. The film tells the story of Howard Ratner (Sandler), a Jewish-American jeweler and gambling addict in New York City's Diamond District, who must retrieve an expensive gem he purchased in order to pay off his debts. Filming took place from September to November 2018. The original score was composed by Daniel Lopatin.
The 34th Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2018, were presented by Film Independent on February 23, 2019. The nominations were announced on November 16, 2018 by actresses Molly Shannon and Gemma Chan. The ceremony was televised in the United States by IFC, taking place inside its usual tent setting on a beach in Santa Monica, California. It was hosted by Aubrey Plaza.
Clemency is a 2019 American drama film written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu. It stars Alfre Woodard, Richard Schiff, Danielle Brooks, Michael O'Neill, Richard Gunn, Wendell Pierce, and Aldis Hodge. The plot follows the lives of prison warden Bernadine Williams (Woodard) and death row inmate Anthony Woods (Hodge).
The Farewell is a 2019 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Lulu Wang. It stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, and Zhao Shuzhen. The film follows a Chinese American family who, upon learning their grandmother has only a short while left to live, decide not to tell her and schedule a family gathering before she dies.
Nine Days is a 2020 American fantasy drama film written and directed by Edson Oda in his feature debut. It stars an ensemble cast consisting of Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong, Tony Hale, Bill Skarsgård, David Rysdahl, and Arianna Ortiz. In the film, Will (Duke) is a reclusive man residing in a house in the pre-existence with his assistant Kyo (Wong). His job is to interview souls hoping to be born and to observe how the souls he has selected are living on Earth. When one of his previous selections suddenly dies, Will becomes dispirited and confused about the true meaning of life as a new batch of souls arrives to be interviewed.
Jarin Blaschke is an American cinematographer, best known for his work on the psychological horror film The Lighthouse, which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
The Harder They Fall is a 2021 American Western film directed by Jeymes Samuel, who co-wrote the screenplay with Boaz Yakin. The film stars Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Lakeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, and Deon Cole. It is one of few Westerns whose principal cast members are all black. Its characters are based on real cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws of the nineteenth-century American West.
The 36th Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films and television series of 2020, were presented by Film Independent on April 22, 2021. Though it was initially intended for the ceremony to air on April 24, 2021, it was later changed to April 22, 2021. The nominations were announced on January 26, 2021 by Laverne Cox, Barry Jenkins, and Olivia Wilde. The ceremony was televised in the United States on IFC and streamed exclusively by AMC+. Melissa Villaseñor hosted the ceremony.
The 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films and television series of 2021, were presented by Film Independent on March 6, 2022. Traditionally held the Saturday before the Academy Awards, the 2022 date marks a shift in the season, placing the Spirit Awards squarely in the corridor leading into Oscar voting. The nominations were announced on December 14, 2021 by actresses Beanie Feldstein, Regina Hall, and Naomi Watts. Returning to an in-person ceremony this year, the event was televised in the United States on IFC and streamed exclusively for subscribers by AMC+. Married couple Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman hosted the ceremony.
Benjamin Safdie is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and film editor best known for working with his older brother Josh as a filmmaker. His directorial works include Heaven Knows What (2014), Good Time (2017), and Uncut Gems (2019). Transitioning towards acting, Safdie was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for his role in Good Time and has since taken on roles in films such as Licorice Pizza (2021), Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. and Oppenheimer.
Pawel Pogorzelski is a Polish-born Canadian cinematographer, known for his work with director Ari Aster.
