As always, the Independent Spirit Awards were held the afternoon before the Oscars, and the big news was that Spotlight ran the table, picking up editing, screenplay, director and picture, while three of the four acting prizes went to people of color, in another direct rebuke to the controversy surrounding the all white acting nominees at the big show tomorrow. They picked some great winners though, overall. Interestingly, four of the last five Best Feature winners at the Spirits have actually gone on the win the Oscar too, but The Revenant is still the favorite for oddsmakers. It's not impossible, in my opinion, that Spotlight could pull off a surprise win though.
2016 Indpendent Spirit Awards Winners:
- Best Feature: Spotlight
- Best Director: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
- Best Screenplay: Spotlight
- Best Male Lead: Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation
- Best Female Lead: Brie Larson, Room
- Best Supporting Male: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
- Best Supporting Female: Mya Taylor, Tangerine
- Best First Feature: The Diary of a Teenage Girl
- Best First Screenplay: Room
- Best Documentary: The Look of Silence
- Best International Film: Son of Saul
- Best Cinematography: Carol
- Best Editing: Spotlight
- John Cassavetes Award: Krisha
- Robert Altman Award for Best Ensemble: Spotlight
