Just one day before the Oscars, the 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards were held on Saturday, February 27, to honor the year’s best independent films.
Saturday Night Live breakout star Kate McKinnon and comedian Kumail Nanjiani hosted the awards ceremony from the beach in Santa Monica.
Brie Larson and Cate Blanchett were among the evening’s many talented nominees, with Idris Elba, transgender actress Mya Taylor and the cast of the film Spotlight among the night’s big winners.
See the complete list of winners below.
BEST FEATURE
Anomalisa
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
***WINNER: Spotlight
Tangerine
BEST DIRECTOR
Sean S. Baker — Tangerine
Cary Fukunaga — Beasts of No Nation
Todd Haynes — Carol
Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson — Anomalisa
***WINNER: Tom McCarthy — Spotlight
David Robert Mitchell — It Follows
BEST SCREENPLAY
***WINNER: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer — Spotlight
Charlie Kaufman — Anomalisa
Donald Margulies — The End of the Tour
Phyllis Nagy — Carol
S. Craig Zahler — Bone Tomahawk
BEST FIRST FEATURE
***WINNER: The Diary of a Teenage Girl
James White
Manos Sucias
Mediterranea
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
***WINNER: Emma Donoghue — Room
Jesse Andrews — Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Joseph Carpignano — Mediterranea
Marielle Heller — The Diary of a Teenage Girl
John Magary, Russell Harbaugh and Myna Joseph — The Mend
BEST MALE LEAD
Christopher Abbott — James White
***WINNER: Abraham Attah — Beasts of No Nation
Ben Mendelsohn — Mississippi Grind
Jason Segel — The End of the Tour
Koudous Seihon — Mediterranea
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Cate Blanchett — Carol
***WINNER: Brie Larson — Room
Rooney Mara — Carol
Bel Powley — The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez — Tangerine
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
***WINNER: Idris Elba — Beasts of No Nation
Kevin Corrigan — Results
Paul Dano — Love & Mercy
Richard Jenkins — Bone Tomahawk
Michael Shannon — 99 Homes
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Robin Bartlett — H.
Marin Ireland — Glass Chin
Jennifer Jason Leigh — Anomalisa
Cynthia Nixon — James White
***WINNER Mya Taylor — Tangerine
BEST DOCUMENTARY
***WINNER: The Look of Silence
Best of Enemies
Heart of a Dog
Meru
The Russian Woodpecker
(T)ERROR
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
***WINNER: Son of Saul
Embrace of the Serpent
Girlhood
Mustang
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
***WINNER: Ed Lachman — Carol
Cary Fukunaga — Beasts of No Nation
Michael Gioulakis — It Follows
Reed Morano — Meadowland
Joshua James Richards — Songs My Brothers Taught Me
BEST EDITING
***WINNER: Tom McArdle — Spotlight
Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie — Heaven Knows What
Nathan Nugent — Room
Julio Perez IV — It Follows
Kristan Sprague — Manos Sucias
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
***WINNER: Krisha
Advantageous
Christmas, Again
Heaven Knows What
Out of My Hand
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST ENSEMBLE
***WINNER: Spotlight
