Film Independent Spirit Award Preview

The BAFTAs had a golden opportunity to break away and swim free from the Oscar undertow this year. Carol was nominated in 9 categories — and won none. Will the Indie Spirit Awards make better use of their final chance to honor a different sort of filmmaking aesthetic tomorrow afternoon? Or will the voters (many thousands of them average citizens outside the industry) fall in line with the same narrow wavelength of movies we’ve seen win for the past month?

The Spirit Awards begin at 2 p.m. PT, 5 p.m. ET and of course we will be covering them live. A reminder of which films and filmmakers are nominated, after the cut — to help you name you own favorites in the comments.

Best Feature
Anomalisa
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
Spotlight
Tangerine

Best Director
Sean Baker, Tangerine
Cary Joji Fukunaga, Beasts of No Nation
Todd Haynes, Carol
Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Anomalisa
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
David Roger Mitchell, It Follows

Best Screenplay
Anomalisa
Bone Tomahawk
Carol
The End of the Tour
Spotlight

Best Female Lead
Bel Powley, The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Tangerine!!!!

Best Male Lead
Christopher Abbot, James White
Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation!!!!!
Ben Mendelshon, Mississippi Grind
Jason Segel, End of the Tour
Koudous Seihon, Mediterranea

Best Supporting Female
Robin Bartlet, H.
Marin Ireland, Glass Chin
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anomalisa!!!!
Mya Taylor, Tangerine
Cynthia Nixon, James White

Best Supporting Male
Kevin Corrigan, Results
Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Richard Jenkins, Bone Tomahawk
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes

Best Documentary
Best of Enemies
Heart of a Dog!!!
The Look of Silence
Meru
Russian Woodpecker
(T)error

Best First Feature
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
James White
Manos Sucas
Mediterranea
Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Best First Screenplay
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Mediterranea
The Mend
Room

Best Editing
Beasts of No Nation
Heaven Knows What
It Follows
Room
Spotlight

Best Cinematography
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
It Follows
Meadowland
Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Best International Film
Embrace of the Serpent
Girlhood
Mustang
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
Son of Saul

John Cassavettes Award
Advantageous
Christmas, Again
Heaven Knows What
Krisha
Out of My Hand