The2020 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominationswere announced today, reminding us that there’s still great work being done that isn’t part of a brand recognized franchise with a bloated budget. Or a prestige cable series, for that matter.
Not surprisingly, A24 has the most to celebrate, with 18 total nominations spread out over 7 films.Robert Eggers’ excellent and wild sophomore featureThe Lighthouse, and the much anticipatedUncut Gems, fromBenny SafdieandJosh Safdie, lead the pack, with five nominations each.
Film Independent President Josh Welsh framed the 35th annual ceremony in this way:
“The Film Independent Spirit Awards celebrate the best films of the year – films characterized by creative independence and original, provocative subject matter, as well as diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. At a time when the film business is undergoing such change and challenges, it’s important to loudly celebrate the work itself – the films! – and to recognize 2019 as a year of bold, audacious and accomplished filmmaking. That’s what the Spirit Awards are all about.”
Even though independent cinema still operates at the mercy of financiers, producers, and distributors, it’s still a place where fresh voices can be heard the loudest—where you might see something you’ve truly never seen before.
Though I’m in the minority,Terrence Malick’sA Hidden Lifelooks especially promising to me. Its Best Feature nomination suggests the reclusive director may have incorporated a bit more plot to go with his usual stunning imagery this time around. With strong reviews thus far, let’s hope it has more in common with his earlier work than his last three meandering efforts.
you’re able to check out the full list of nominees below. Winners will be announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, July 28, 2025.
BEST FEATURE(Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
A Hidden Life
Producers: Elisabeth Bentley, Dario Bergesio, Grant Hill, Josh Jeter
Producers: Timur Bekbosunov, Julian Cautherley, Bronwyn Cornelius, Peter Wong
The Farewell
Producers: Anita Gou, Daniele Melia, Andrew Miano, Peter Saraf, Marc Turtletaub, Lulu
Wang, Chris Weitz, Jane Zheng
Marriage Story
Producers: Noah Baumbach, David Heyman
Uncut Gems
Producers: Eli Bush, Sebastian Bear-McClard, Scott Rudin
BEST FIRST FEATURE(Award given to the director and producer)
Director: Olivia Wilde
Producers: Chelsea Barnard, David Distenfeld, Jessica Elbaum, Megan Ellison, Katie Silberman
Director/Producer: Michael Angelo Covino
Producers: Noah Lang, Kyle Marvin
Director: Kent Jones
Producers: Luca Borghese, Ben Howe, Caroline Kaplan, Oren Moverman
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Director/Producer: Joe Talbot
Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Khaliah Neal, Christina Oh
The Mustang
Director: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre
Producer: Ilan Goldman
See You Yesterday
Director: Stefon Bristol
Producer: Spike Lee
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD– Given to the best feature made for under $500,000 (Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
Burning Cane
Writer/Director/Producer: Phillip Youmans
Producers: Ojo Akinlana, Jakob Johnson, Karen Kaia Livers, Mose Mayer, Wendell Pierce, Isaac Webb, Cassandra Youmans
Writer/Director: Tom Quinn
Producers: Joshua Blum, Alexandra Byer, Craig Shilowich, Matthew Thurm
Give Me Liberty
Writer/Director/Producer: Kirill Mikhanovsky
Writer/Producer: Alice Austen
Producers: Val Abel, Wally Hall, Michael Manasseri, George Rush, Sergey Shtern
Writer/Director/Producer: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Writer: Zora Howard
Producer: Darren Dean, Joy Ganes
Wild Nights With Emily
Writer/Director/Producer: Madeleine Olnek
Producers: Anna Margarita Albelo, Casper Andreas, Max Rifkind-Barron
BEST DIRECTOR
Alma Har’el
Lorene Scafaria
Julius Onah
Robert Eggers
The Lighthouse
Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie
BEST SCREENPLAY
Noah Baumbach
Jason Begue, Shawn Snyder
Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie
Chinonye Chukwu
Tarell Alvin McCraney
High Flying Bird
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Fredrica Bailey & Stefon Bristol
Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen
Bridget Savage Cole & Danielle Krudy
Blow the Man Down
Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn Luebbe
Greener Grass
James Montague & Craig W. Sanger
The Vast of Night
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Todd Banhazl
Jarin Blaschke
Natasha Braier
Chananun Chotrungroj
The Third Wife
Pawel Pogorzelski
BEST EDITING
Julie Béziau
Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie
Tyler L. Cook
Sword of Trust
Louise Ford
Kirill Mikhanovsky
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Karen Allen
Elisabeth Moss
Mary Kay Place
Alfre Woodard
Renée Zellweger
BEST MALE LEAD
Chris Galust
Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Robert Pattinson
Matthias Schoenaerts
Adam Sandler
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Jennifer Lopez
Taylor Russell
Lauren “LoLo” Spencer
Octavia Spencer
Zhao Shuzhen
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Willem Dafoe
Shia LaBeouf
Jonathan Majors
Wendell Pierce
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD– Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast
Director: Noah Baumbach
Casting Directors: Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler
Ensemble Cast: Alan Alda, Laura Dern, Adam Driver, Julie Hagerty, Scarlett Johansson,
Ray Liotta, Azhy Robertson, Merritt Wever
BEST DOCUMENTARY(Award given to the director and producer)
American Factory
Director/Producer: Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert
Producers: Julie Parker Benello, Jeff Reichert
Director/Producer: Todd Douglas Miller
Producers: Evan Krauss, Thomas Baxley Petersen
Director: Edward Watts
Director/Producer: Waad al-Kateab
Director: Tamara Kotevska
Director/Producer: Ljubo Stefanov
Producer: Atanas Georgiev
Island of the Hungry Ghosts
Director/Producer: Gabrielle Brady
Producers: Gizem Acarla, Samm Haillay, Alex Kelly, Alexander Wadouh
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM(Award given to the director)
Invisible Life
Director: Karim Aïnouz
Les Misérables
Director: Ladj Ly
South Korea
Director: Bong Joon-Ho
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Director: Céline Sciamma
Director: Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio L.
The Souvenir
United Kingdom
Director: Joanna Hogg
Marielle Heller
Kelly Reichardt
PRODUCERS AWARD– The 23rd annual Producers Award 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.
Mollye Asher
Krista Parris
Ryan Zacarias
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD– The 26th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Rashaad Ernesto Green
Director ofPremature
Ash Mayfair
Director ofThe Third Wife
Joe Talbot
Director ofThe Last Black Man in San Francisco
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD– The 25th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Khalik Allah
Director ofBlack Mother
Davy Rothbart
Director of17 Blocks
Nadia Shihab
Director ofJaddoland
Erick Stoll & Chase Whiteside
Director ofAmérica
