Clint Bentley’s lyrical Denis Johnson adaptation “Train Dreams “ won the best picture honor at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles, while “Adolescence” dominated the television categories. Both were released on Netflix.
Bentley also won best director for “Train Dreams” starring Joel Edgerton, whom he thanked profusely for “being the heartbeat of our film.”
“We’re so grateful to Netflix,” Bentley said. “It’s very, very hard these days to film in the United States, but it’s worth it and we’re proud to be able to pull it off.”
“Train Dreams” also topped the cinematography category, which recognized Adolpho Veloso for his lensing.
Edgerton missed out on the top acting prize, however, which went to Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” The organization switched to gender-neutral acting categories in 2022.
Byrne was one of the few actors nominated for both a Spirit Award and an Oscar, for her performance as a mother on the edge.
“I share this with Mary Bronstein, my writer-director who fought for eight years to get this movie made,” Byrne said.
She added that this was a film that could have only been made independently. Her character, she said, is “fierce and ferocious and a middle-aged woman.”
Lurker won best first feature as well as best first screenplay for writer-director Alex Russell.
“The Secret Agent” won the international feature prize. The film is also nominated for best picture and best international film at the Oscars.
“I really believe that programming films in the cinemas is more and more a political act,” said director Kleber Mendonça Filho.
He dedicated the award to the late actor Udo Kier, who was part of the ensemble of “The Secret Agent.”
“The Perfect Neighbor,” about a deadly shooting incident in Florida constructed primarily from police bodycam footage, won best documentary. Filmmaker and producer Geeta Gandbhir thanked Netflix for “giving us a global platform.” It’s also up for the best documentary Oscar.
Eva Victor won the screenplay prize for “Sorry, Baby.” Naomi Ackie also won the supporting award for Victor’s film, over fellow nominees like Zoey Deutch (“Nouvelle Vague”), Kirsten Dunst (“Roofman”), Nina Hoss (“Hedda”) and Archie Madekwe (“Lurker”).
The awards sometimes overlap significantly with major Oscar contenders and winners, as it did with “Anora,” and “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” and sometimes not. Organizers limit eligibility to productions with budgets less than $30 million, meaning more expensive films like “One Battle After Another” are not in the running.
“Adolescence”
On the television side, “Adolescence” won new scripted series, best actor for Stephen Graham, best supporting actor for Erin Doherty, and the breakthrough prize for Owen Cooper.
The Spirit Awards show, which serves as a fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs, was held at the Hollywood Palladium for the first time since 1994, as its longtime beachside perch in Santa Monica undergoes renovations. Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” veteran Ego Nwodim hosted the celebration of independent film and television, which was livestreamed on YouTube.
“In the spirit of independent filmmaking, we don’t have a permit,” Nwodim said in her opening. “If I shout ‘cameras down,’ you know what to do.”
Special honors
The 18th annual Robert Altman Award, which was created in 2008 in honor of legendary film director Robert Altman, who was known for creating extraordinary ensemble casts, was awarded to “The Long Walk” director Francis Lawrence, alongside casting director Rich Delia, as well as ensemble cast members Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang and Garrett Wareing.
“Esta Isla” (“This Island”) was honored with the John Cassavetes Award, given to the best feature made for under $1 million. Also celebrated were the previously announced honors including Tatti Ribeiro of “Valentina” with the Someone to Watch Award, recognizing a filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition; Rajee Samarasinghe of “Your Touch Makes Others Invisible” with the Truer Than Fiction Award, presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has yet to receive significant recognition; and Tony Yang with the Producers Award, honoring emerging producers who demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films with limited resources.
The following is a complete list of the winners:
FILM CATEGORIES
Best Feature
Train Dreams (Netflix)
Producers: Michael Heimler, Will Janowitz, Marissa McMahon, Ashley Schlaifer, Teddy Schwarzman
Best Director
Clint Bentley, Train Dreams (Netflix)
Best Screenplay
Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby (A24)
Best First Feature
Lurker (MUBI)
Director: Alex Russell
Producers: Galen Core, Archie Madekwe, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell, Francesco Melzi D’Eril, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Olmo Schnabel, Jack Selby
Best First Screenplay
Alex Russell, Lurker (MUBI)
John Cassavetes Award (for best feature made under $1,000,000)
Esta Isla (This Island)
Writers/Directors/Producers: Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones Molina
Writer: Kisha Tikina Burgos
Best Breakthrough Performance
Kayo Martin, The Plague (Independent Film Company)
Best Supporting Performance
Naomi Ackie, Sorry, Baby (A24)
Best Lead Performance
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (A24)
Robert Altman Award
The Long Walk (Lionsgate)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Casting Director: Rich Delia
Ensemble Cast: Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Garrett Wareing
Best Cinematography
Adolpho Veloso, Train Dreams (Netflix)
Best Editing
Sofía Subercaseaux, The Testament of Ann Lee (Searchlight Pictures)
Best International Film
The Secret Agent (NEON)
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Best Documentary
The Perfect Neighbor (Netflix)
Director/Producer: Geeta Gandbhir
Producers: Sam Bisbee, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne
Someone to Watch
Tatti Ribeiro, Valentina
Truer Than Fiction
Rajee Samarasinghe, Your Touch Makes Others Invisible
Producers Award presented by Producers United
Tony Yang
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
Best New Scripted Series
Adolescence (Netflix)
Creators/Executive Producers: Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham
Executive Producers: Philip Barantini, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Nina Wolarsky, Hannah Walters, Mark Herbert, Emily Feller
Co-Executive Producers: Carina Sposato, Niall Shamma, Peter Balm
Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series
Pee-wee as Himself (HBO Max)
Executive Producers: Matt Wolf, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Paul Reubens, Candace Tomarken, Kyle Martin, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez
Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series
Owen Cooper, Adolescence (Netflix)
Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series
Erin Doherty, Adolescence (Netflix)
Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series
Stephen Graham, Adolescence (Netflix)
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
Chief of War (Apple TV)
Ensemble Cast: Charlie Brumbly, Luciane Buchanan, Cliff Curtis, Brandon Finn, Moses Goods, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Benjamin Hoetjes, Siua Ikale’o, Keala Kahuanui-Paleka, Mainei Kinimaka, Kaina Makua, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Te Kohe Tuhaka, James Udom
