The 2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards took place in Santa Monica, Los Angeles yesterday, and it was a very good night for Moonlight, with the film sweeping all five awards it was nominated for – Best Feature, Best Director (Barry Jenkins), Best Screenplay (Jenkins), Best Cinematography and Best Editing – as well as receiving the honorary Robert Altman Award.
Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) and Isabelle Huppert (Elle) were named Best Actor and Best Actress respectively, while the supporting honors went to Ben Foster (Hell or High Water) and Molly Shannon (Other People). Acclaimed horror The Witch also picked up two awards, with writer-director Robert Eggers receiving Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay.
Here’s a full list of the winners, highlighted in bold and red…
Best Feature
American Honey
Chronic
Jackie
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Best Director
Andrea Arnold, American Honey
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Pablo Larrain, Jackie
Kelly Reichardt, Certain Women
Jeff Nichols, Loving
Best Screenplay
Moonlight
Manchester by the Sea
20th Century Women
Little Men
Hell or High Water
Best First Feature
The Childhood of a Leader
The Fits
Other People
Swiss Army Man
The Witch
Best First Screenplay
The Witch
Other People
Barry
Jean of the Joneses
Christine
Best Male Lead
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
David Harewood, Free in Deed
Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Jesse Plemons, Other People
Tim Roth, Chronic
Best Female Lead
Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Sasha Lane, American Honey
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Best Supporting Male
Ralph Fiennes, A Bigger Splash
Ben Foster, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Shia LaBeouf, American Honey
Craig Robinson, Morris From America
Best Supporting Female
Edwina Findley, Free in Deed
Paulina Garcia, Little Men
Lily Gladstone, Certain Women
Riley Keough, American Honey
Molly Shannon, Other People
Best Documentary
13th
Cameraperson
I Am Not Your Negro
O.J.: Made in America
Sonita
Under the Sun
Best International Film
Aquarius
Chevalier
My Golden Days
Toni Erdmann
Under the Shadow
Best Cinematography
Free in Deed
Childhood
Eyes of My Mother
Moonlight
American Honey
Best Editing
Swiss Army Man
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
Hell or High Water
Jackie
John Cassavetes Award (Best Feature Under $500,000)
Free in Deed
Hunter Gatherer
Lovesong
Nakom
Spa Night
Robert Altman Award (Best Ensemble)
Moonlight
Piaget Producers Award
Lisa Kjerulff
Jordana Mollick
Melody C. Roscher
Craig Shilowich
Someone to Watch Award
Andrew Ahn, Spa Night
Claire Carre, Embers
Anna Rose Holmer, The Fits
Ingrid Jungermann, Women Who Kill
Truer Than Fiction Award
Kristi Jacobson, Solitary
Sara Jordenö, Kiki
Nanfu Wang, Hooligan Sparrow
Originally published February 26, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
