Film Independent, the nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the LA Film Festival, handed out honors to Call Me by Your Name, Get Out, I, Tonya, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Big Sick, Ingrid Goes West and Lady Bird at this afternoon’s 33rd Film Independent Spirit Awards.Life and Nothing More, Faces Placesand A Fantastic Woman also received awards at the ceremony, which was held on the beach in Santa Monica. In addition to being the celebration that honors artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision, the Spirit Awards is the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs.
The ceremony aired live today on IFC and Facebook Watch and a rebroadcast will air later this evening; please check your local listings for times. Clips from the ceremony will be available on Film Independent’s YouTube channel after the show.
This year’s major winners were Get Out, which won Best Feature and Best Director; Call Me by Your Name, which won Best Male Lead and Best Cinematography; I, Tonya,which won Best Supporting Female and Best Editing; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which won Best Female Lead and Best Supporting Male; Lady Bird, which won Best Screenplay; Ingrid Goes West, which won Best First Feature; The Big Sick, which won Best First Screenplay; Life and Nothing More, which won the John Cassavetes Award; Faces Places which won Best Documentary and A Fantastic Woman, which won Best International Film.
The 11th annual Robert Altman Award was given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. Mudbound director Dee Rees received this award, along with casting directors Billy Hopkins and Ashley Ingram as well as cast members Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan and Carey Mulligan.
The 2018 Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Fellowship annually selects an outstanding filmmaker and participant in Project Involve, Film Independent’s longest running diversity and mentorship program, now in its 25th year. The fellowship includes an unrestricted cash grant of $10,000 and was awarded to writer/director Faren Humes, a distinct and bold new voice.
The following is a complete list of the winners:
Best Feature:
- Get Out (Universal Pictures)
Producers: Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr., Sean McKittrick, Jordan Peele
Best Director:
- Jordan Peele, Get Out (Universal Pictures)
Best Screenplay:
- Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (A24)
Best First Feature:
- Ingrid Goes West (NEON)
Director: Matt Spicer
Producers: Jared Ian Goldman, Adam Mirels, Robert Mirels, Aubrey Plaza, Tim White, Trevor White
Best First Screenplay:
- Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick (Amazon Studios)
John Cassavetes Award (for best feature made under $500,000):
- Life and Nothing More (CFI Releasing)
Writer/Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza
Producers: Amadeo Hernández Bueno, Alvaro Portanet Hernández, Pedro Hernández Santos
Best Supporting Female:
- Allison Janney, I, Tonya (NEON)
Best Supporting Male:
- Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight)
Best Female Lead:
- Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight)
Best Male Lead:
- Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics)
Robert Altman Award:
- Mudbound (Netflix)
Director: Dee Rees
Casting Directors: Billy Hopkins, Ashley Ingram
Ensemble Cast: Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan, Carey Mulligan
Best Cinematography:
- Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Call Me by Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics)
Best Editing:
- Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya (NEON)
Best International Film:
- A Fantastic Woman (Chile – Sony Pictures Classics)
Director: Sebastián Lelio
Best Documentary:
- Faces Places (Cohen Media Group)
Directors: Agnés Varda, JR
Producer: Rosalie Varda
2018 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS BY DISTRIBUTOR
3 NEON
3 Sony Pictures Classics
2 Fox Searchlight
2 Universal Pictures
1 A24
1 Amazon Studios
1 CFI Releasing
1 Cohen Media Group
1 Netflix
On January 6, the following winners were honored at the Spirit Awards Nominee Brunch hosted by John Cho and Alia Shawkatat BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood: Chloé Zhao received the inaugural 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 Bonnie Award recognizes a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant sponsored by American Airlines. Finalists for the award were So Yong Kim and Lynn Shelton.
Jonathan Olshefski, director of Quest, received the Jeepâ Truer Than Fiction Award. The award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not received significant recognition. The award is in its 23rd year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant sponsored by the Jeep brand for the first year. Finalists for the award were Shevaun Mizrahi, director of Distant Constellationand Jeff Unay, director of The Cage Fighter.
Justin Chon,director of Gook, received the Kiehl’s Someone to Watch Award. The award recognizes talented filmmakers of singular vision who have not yet received appropriate recognition. The award is in its 24th year and includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851 for the fourth consecutive year. Finalists for the award were Amman Abbasi, director of Dayveon and Kevin Phillips, director of Super Dark Times.
Summer Shelton received the Piaget Producers Award. The award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The annual award, in its 21st year, includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant sponsored by Piaget for the 11th year. Finalists for the award were Giulia Caruso& Ki Jin Kim and Ben Leclair.
Matty Brown received the Seattle Story Award. The award is for a filmmaker who exhibits innovation, diversity and uniqueness of vision while having a history of transforming perspectives through rich stories. The award includes a $25,000 cash grant, sponsored by Visit Seattle, to create a short film inspired by Seattle’s deep textures and independent spirit. This film, Dreamcatcher, premiered during the Spirit Awards broadcast and can be seen online at VISITSEATTLE.tv.
Attendees:
Joining Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent, were hosts Nick Kroll and John Mulaney and Spirit Award Honorary Chair Ava DuVernay.
House Band: Sunflower Bean
Presenters included: Fred Armisen, Chadwick Boseman, Alison Brie, Carrie Brownstein, Timothée Chalamet, John Cho, Jason Clarke, Zoey Deutch, Ava DuVernay, Beanie Feldstein, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Danai Gurira, Jon Hamm, Ethan Hawke, Lil Rel Howery, Spike Lee, Ben Mendelsohn, Janelle Monáe, Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Olsen, Robert Pattinson, Salma Hayek Pinault, Margot Robbie, Amanda Seyfried, Molly Shannon, Sarah Silverman, Kathryn Hahn and Lena Waithe.
About THE FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS
Now in its 33rd 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, AT&T, IFC and the Jeep brand; Principal Sponsors Piaget and Visit Seattle; and Supporting Sponsor Truly Spiked & Sparkling. Bulleit Frontier Whiskey is the Official Spirit. FIJI Water is the Official Water. Landmark Vineyards is the Official Wine. Getty Images is the Official Photographer.
About FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is a nonprofit arts organization that champions independent visual storytelling and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Film Independent’s Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff and constituents is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race and sexual orientation. Anyone passionate about film can become a Member, whether you are a filmmaker, industry professional or a film lover.
In addition to producing the Spirit Awards, Film Independent produces the LA Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, a year-round, weekly program that offers unique cinematic experiences for the Los Angeles creative community and the general public.
With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent’s Artist Development program offers free Labs for selected writers, directors, producers and documentary filmmakers and presents year- round networking opportunities. Project Involve is Film Independent’s signature program dedicated to fostering the careers of talented filmmakers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the film industry.
For more information or to become a Member, visit filmindependent.org.
About IFC
IFC is the home of offbeat, unexpected comedies. Series Portlandia, Stan Against Evil, Baroness von Sketch Show, Documentary Now! and Brockmire air alongside fan-favorite movies and comedic cult TV shows. IFC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., and available across multiple platforms. IFC is Always On, Slightly Off.
