2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards Winners Announced; Rebroadcast This Evening On IFC

  • Print

Film Independent handed out honors to Call Me by Your Name, Get Out, I, Tonya, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Big Sick, Ingrid Goes West and Lady Bird at this afternoon’s 33rd Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the LA Film Festival, also gave awards to Life and Nothing More, Faces Places and A Fantastic Woman at the ceremony, which was held on the beach in Santa Monica.

In addition to being the celebration that honors artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision, the Spirit Awards is the primary fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round programs.

The ceremony aired live today on IFC and Facebook Watch and a rebroadcast will air later this evening; please check your local listings for times. Clips from the ceremony will be available on Film Independent’s YouTubechannel after the show.


I, Tonya Review – Triumphant; A Solid Gold, Four Star, Dramady

This year’s major winners were Get Out, which won Best Feature and Best Director; Call Me by Your Name, which won Best Male Lead and Best Cinematography; I, Tonya, which won Best Supporting Female and Best Editing;Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which won Best Female Lead and Best Supporting Male; Lady Bird, which won Best Screenplay; Ingrid Goes West, which won Best First Feature; The Big Sick, which won Best First Screenplay; Life and Nothing More, which won the John Cassavetes Award; Faces Places which won Best Documentary and A Fantastic Woman, which won Best International Film.

The 11th annual Robert Altman Award was given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast. Mudbound director Dee Rees received this award, along with casting directors Billy Hopkins and Ashley Ingram as well as cast members Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan and Carey Mulligan.

The 2018 Roger and Chaz Ebert Foundation Fellowship annually selects an outstanding filmmaker and participant in Project Involve, Film Independent’s longest running diversity and mentorship program, now in its 25th year. The fellowship includes an unrestricted cash grant of $10,000 and was awarded to writer/director Faren Humes, a distinct and bold new voice.


Call Me By Your Name Review – Beautiful; Well Crafted Story of Discovery

The following is a complete list of the winners:

Best Feature:

Get Out (Universal Pictures)

Producers: Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr., Sean McKittrick, Jordan Peele

Best Director: 

Jordan Peele, Get Out (Universal Pictures)

Best Screenplay:

Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (A24)

Best First Feature:

Ingrid Goes West (NEON)

Director: Matt Spicer

Producers: Jared Ian Goldman, Adam Mirels, Robert Mirels, Aubrey Plaza,

Tim White, Trevor White

Best First Screenplay:

Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick (Amazon Studios)

John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000):

Life and Nothing More (CFI Releasing)  

Writer/Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza

Producers: Amadeo Hernández Bueno, Alvaro Portanet Hernández,

Pedro Hernández Santos

Best Supporting Female:

Allison Janney, I, Tonya (NEON)

Best Supporting Male:

Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight)          

Best Female Lead:

Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

(Fox Searchlight)

Best Male Lead:

Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics)

Robert Altman Award:

Mudbound (Netflix)                                     

Director: Dee Rees

Casting Directors: Billy Hopkins, Ashley Ingram

Ensemble Cast: Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan, Carey Mulligan

Best Cinematography:

Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, Call Me by Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics)

Best Editing:

Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya (NEON)

Best International Film:

A Fantastic Woman (Chile – Sony Pictures Classics)

Director: Sebastián Lelio

Best Documentary:

Faces Places (Cohen Media Group)       

Directors: Agnés Varda, JR

Producer: Rosalie Varda