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  "path": "/indie-spirit-awards-winners-2026",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-16T03:45:07.000Z",
  "site": "https://nofilmschool.com",
  "tags": [
    "Independent film",
    "Indie spirit awards",
    "best movies of 2025",
    "www.youtube.com"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nIndependent cinema is a thing to celebrate. And every year, the stars of indies gather for the Independent Spirit Awards, which showcase new and established voices working outside the studio system to bring stories to life.\n\nThis movie-going year, some of the best movies of 2025 were indies, like _Eephus, Splitsville, Sorry Baby_ , and _Train Dreams_.\n\nAnd there were a ton more great movies and TV shows that these awards turned me onto that I can't wait to check out.\n\nSo, if you want to know who won the 3026 Independent Spirit Awards, you've come to the right place.\n\nLet's dive in.\n\n- YouTube www.youtube.com\n\n\n\n\n* * *\n\n## 2026 Indie Spirit Awards Winners\n\nWhich movies took home the top prizes in each category?\n\n## Best Feature\n\n\n\n _Peter Hujar’s Day_\nProducers: Jonah Disend, Jordan Drake\n\n _The Plague_\nProducers: Derek Dauchy, Joel Edgerton, Roy Lee, Lucy McKendrick, Steven Schneider, Lizzie Shapiro\n\n _Sorry, Baby_\nProducers: Mark Ceryak, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski\n\n** _Train Dreams_ (WINNER)\nProducers: Michael Heimler, Will Janowitz, Marissa McMahon, Ashley Schlaifer, Teddy Schwarzman**\n\n _Twinless_\nProducers: David Permut, James Sweeney\n\n## Best First Feature\n\n\n\n _(Award given to director and producer)_\n\n_Blue Sun Palace_\nDirector: Constance Tsang\nProducers: Sally Sujin Oh, Eli Raskin, Tony Yang\n\n _Dust Bunny_\nDirector/Producer: Bryan Fuller\nProducers: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee\n\n _East of Wall_\nDirector/Producer: Kate Beecroft\nProducers: Shannon Moss, Melanie Ramsayer, Lila Yacoub\n\n** _Lurker_ (WINNER)\nDirector: Alex Russell\nProducers: Galen Core, Archie Madekwe, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell, Francesco Melzi D’Eril, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Olmo Schnabel, Jack Selby**\n\n _One of Them Days_\nDirector: Lawrence Lamont\nProducers: Deniese Davis, Poppy Hanks, James Lopez, Issa Rae, Sara Rastogi\n\n## John Cassavetes Award\n\n\n\n _Given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000. (Award given to the writer, director and producer)_\n\n_The Baltimorons_\nDirector/Writer/Producer: Jay Duplass\nWriter/Producer: Michael Strassner\nProducers: David Bonnett Jr., Drew Langer\n\n _Boys Go to Jupiter_\nDirector/Writer: Julian Glander\n\n _Eephus_\nDirector/Writer/Producer: Carson Lund\nWriter/Producer: Michael Basta\nWriter: Nate Fisher\nProducers: David Entin, Tyler Taormina\n\n** _Esta Isla (This Island)_ (WINNER)\nDirectors/Writers/Producers: Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones Molina\nWriter: Kisha Tikina Burgos**\n\n _Familiar Touch_\nDirector/Writer/Producer: Sarah Friedland\nProducers: Alexandra Byer, Matthew Thurm\n\n## Best Director\n\n\n\n**Clint Bentley,_Train Dreams_ (WINNER)\n**Mary Bronstein, _If I Had Legs I’d Kick You_\nLloyd Lee Choi, _Lucky Lu_\nIra Sachs, _Peter Hujar’s Day_\nEva Victor, _Sorry, Baby_\n\n## Best Screenplay\n\n\n\nMichael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin, _Splitsville_\nAngus MacLachlan, _A Little Prayer_\nJames Sweeney, _Twinless_\nChristian Swegal, _Sovereign_\n**Eva Victor,_Sorry, Baby_ (WINNER)**\n\n## Best First Screenplay\n\n\n\nAndrew DeYoung,_Friendship_\nElena Oxman, _Outerlands_\n**Alex Russell,_Lurker_ (WINNER)\n**Syreeta Singleton, _One of Them Days_\nConstance Tsang, _Blue Sun Palace_\n\n## Best Lead Performance\n\n\n\nEverett Blunck, _The Plague_\n**Rose Byrne,_If I Had Legs I’d Kick You_ (WINNER)\n**Kathleen Chalfant, _Familiar Touch_\nChang Chen, _Lucky Lu_\nJoel Edgerton, _Train Dreams_\nDylan O’Brien, _Twinless_\nKeke Palmer, _One of Them Days_\nThéodore Pellerin,_Lurker_\nTessa Thompson, _Hedda_\nBen Whishaw, _Peter Hujar’s Day_\n\n## Best Supporting Performance\n\n\n\n**Naomi Ackie,_Sorry, Baby_ (WINNER)\n**Zoey Deutch, _Nouvelle Vague_\nKirsten Dunst, _Roofman_\nRebecca Hall, _Peter Hujar’s Day_\nNina Hoss, _Hedda_\nJane Levy, _A Little Prayer_\nArchie Madekwe, _Lurker_\nKali Reis, _Rebuilding_\nJacob Tremblay, _Sovereign_\nHaipeng Xu, _Blue Sun Palace_\n\n## Best Breakthrough Performance\n\n\n\nLiz Larsen, _The Baltimorons_\nMisha Osherovich, _She’s the He_\n**Kayo Martin,_The Plague_ (WINNER)\n**SZA, _One of Them Days_\nTabatha Zimiga, _East of Wall_\n\n## Best Cinematography\n\n\n\nAlex Ashe, _Peter Hujar’s Day_\nNorm Li, _Blue Sun Palace_\nDavid J. Thompson, _Warfare_\n**Adolpho Veloso,_Train Dreams_ (WINNER)\n**Nicole Hirsch Whitaker, _Dust Bunny_\n\n## Best Editing\n\n\n\nBen Leonberg, _Good Boy_\nCarson Lund, _Eephus_\nFin Oates, _Warfare_\nSara Shaw, _Splitsville_\n**Sofía Subercaseaux,_The Testament of Ann Lee_** **(WINNER)**\n\n## Robert Altman Award\n\n\n\n_(Award given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)_\n\n_**The Long Walk**_ **(WINNER)**\nDirector: Francis Lawrence\nCasting Director: Rich Delia\nEnsemble Cast: Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Garrett Wareing\n\n## Best Documentary\n\n\n\n(Award given to the director and producer)\n\n_Come See Me in the Good Light_\nDirector/Producer: Ryan White\nProducers: Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen\n\n _Endless Cookie_\nDirector: Peter Scriver\nDirector/Producer: Seth Scriver\nProducers: Dan Bekerman, Alex Ordanis, Jason Ryle, Chris Yurkovich\n\n _My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow_\nDirector/Producer: Julia Loktev\n\n** _The Perfect Neighbor_ (WINNER)\nDirector/Producer: Geeta Gandbhir\nProducers: Sam Bisbee, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne**\n\n _The Tale of Silyan_\nDirector/Producer: Tamara Kotevska\nProducers: Jean Dakar, Anna Hashmi, Jordanco Petkovski\n\n## Best International Film\n\n\n\n(Award given to the director)\n\n_All That’s Left of You_\nPalestine, Jordan, Germany, Cyprus\nDirector: Cherien Dabis\n\n _On Becoming a Guinea Fowl_\nZambia, UK, Ireland\nDirector: Rungano Nyoni\n\n _A Poet_\nColombia\nDirector: Simón Mesa Soto\n\n** _The Secret Agent_ (WINNER)\nBrazil\nDirector: Kleber Mendonça Filho**\n\n _Sirāt_\nSpain\nDirector: Oliver Laxe\n\n## Producers Award\n\n\n\n _The Producers Award, now in its 29th year, honors an emerging producer who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrates the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films. This award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant._\n\nEmma Hannaway\n\nLuca Intili\n\n**Tony Yang (WINNER)**\n\n## Someone to Watch Award\n\n\n\n _The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 32nd year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. This award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant._\n\n**Tatti Ribeiro, director of _Valentina_ (WINNER)**\n\nNeo Sora, director of _Happyend_\n\nAnnapurna Sriram, director of _Fucktoys_\n\n## Truer Than Fiction Award\n\n\n\n _The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 31st year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. This award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant._\n\nTony Benna, director of _André is an Idiot_\n\n**Rajee Samarasinghe, director of _Your Touch Makes Others Invisible_ (WINNER)**\n\nBrittany Shyne, director of _Seeds_\n\n## Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series\n\n\n\n(Award given to the creator, executive producer and co-executive producer)\n\n_Citizen Nation_\nCreator: Bret Sigler\nExecutive Producers: Christopher Buck, Kyra Darnton\n\n _Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time_\nExecutive Producers: Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Ryan Coogler, Myles Estey, Ted Skillman, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Peter Nicks, Kalia King, Carolyn Payne, Sean David Johnson\nCo-Executive Producer: Kelli Buchanan\n\n** _Pee-wee as Himself_ (WINNER)\nExecutive Producers: Matt Wolf, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Paul Reubens, Candace Tomarken, Kyle Martin, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez**\n\n _Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television_\nExecutive Producers: Issa Rae, Montrel McKay, John Maggio, Rachel Dretzin, John Ealer, Jonathan Berry, Dave Becky, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara Rodriguez\nCo-Executive Producers: Esther Dere, Zachary Herrmann\n\n _Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae_\nExecutive Producers: Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow, Amy Kaufman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Riva Marker\nCo-Executive Producer: Mark Becker\n\n## Best New Scripted Series\n\n\n\n(Award given to the creator, executive producer and co-executive producer)\n\n**_Adolescence_ (WINNER)\nCreators/Executive Producers: Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham\nExecutive Producers: Philip Barantini, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Nina Wolarsky, Hannah Walters, Mark Herbert, Emily Feller\nCo-Executive Producers: Carina Sposato, Niall Shamma, Peter Balm**\n\n _Common Side Effects_\nCreators/Executive Producers: Joe Bennett, Steve Hely\nExecutive Producers: Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, Dustin Davis, James Merrill, Sean Buckelew, Benjy Brooke, Kelly Crews, Suzanna Makkos\nCo-Executive Producer: Dave King\n\n _Forever_\nCreator/Executive Producer: Mara Brock Akil\nExecutive Producers: Regina King, Susie Fitzgerald, Shana C. Waterman, Reina King, Anthony Hemingway, Judy Blume, Erika Harrison, Sara E. White\nCo-Executive Producer: Jerron Horton\n\n _Mr Loverman_\nExecutive Producers: Lennie James, Hong Khaou, Jo McClellan, Faye Ward, Hannah Farrell, Hannah Price\n\n _North of North_\nCreators/Executive Producers: Stacey Aglok MacDonald, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril\nExecutive Producers: Garry Campbell, Anya Adams, Susan Coyne, Miranda de Pencier\nCo-Executive Producers: Teresa M. Ho, Michael Goldbach, Kathryn Borel Jr., JP Larocque\n\n## Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series\n\n\n\nSydney Chandler, _Alien: Earth_\n**Stephen Graham,_Adolescence_ (WINNER)\n**Ethan Hawke, _The Lowdown_\nLennie James, _Mr Loverman_\nAnna Lambe, _North of North_\nLola Petticrew, _Say Nothing_\nSeth Rogen, _The Studio_\nLovie Simone, _Forever_\nMichelle Williams, _Dying for Sex_\nNoah Wyle, _The Pitt_\n\n## Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series\n\n\n\nAriyon Bakare, _Mr Loverman_\nBabou Ceesay, _Alien: Earth_\nSharon D. Clarke, _Mr Loverman_\nTaylor Dearden, _The Pitt_\n**Erin Doherty,_Adolescence_ (WINNER)\n**Stephen McKinley Henderson, _A Man on the Inside_\nPoorna Jagannathan, _Deli Boys_\nXosha Roquemore, _Forever_\nJenny Slate, _Dying for Sex_\nBen Whishaw, _Black Doves_\n\n## Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series\n\n\n\nAsif Ali, _Deli Boys_\nWally Baram, _Overcompensating_\n**Owen Cooper,_Adolescence_ (WINNER)\n**Michael Cooper Jr., _Forever_\nErnest Kingsley Junior, _Washington Black_\n\n## Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series\n\n\n\n** _Chief of War_ (WINNER)**\n\n\n**Ensemble Cast: Charlie Brumbly, Luciane Buchanan, Cliff Curtis, Brandon Finn, Moses Goods, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Benjamin Hoetjes, Siua Ikale’o, Keala Kahuanui-Paleka, Mainei Kinimaka, Kaina Makua, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Te Kohe Tuhaka, James Udom** Let me know what you think in the comments.",
  "title": "The 2026 Indie Spirit Awards Winners"
}