{"id":179866,"date":"2026-02-16T06:50:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T06:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/179866\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T06:50:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T06:50:07","slug":"full-list-of-winners-2026-film-independent-spirit-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/179866\/","title":{"rendered":"Full list of winners: 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In a smoothly run show peppered with sharp humor but, for the most part, a dearth of pointed political commentary \u2014 save for one unscripted expression of anti-ICE sentiment from \u201cThe White Lotus\u201d star Natasha Rothwell<\/a> \u2014 the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards celebrated its 41st edition on Sunday in Hollywood.<\/p>\n

The ceremony has long served as a counterpoint to the Oscars: looser, more unpredictable, typically mounted in a beach tent by the Santa Monica Pier. For over three decades, it was held the Saturday afternoon right before the Academy Awards.<\/p>\n

But this year, due to coastal planning for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the Spirit Awards relocated to the Hollywood Palladium (where they were last held in 1994), a venue decked out in the show\u2019s signature blue and pink signage and decor \u2014 a pivot that proved effective.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have a permit,\u201d cracked host Ego Nwodim, riffing on scrappy independent tactics in her monologue. Her athletic hosting duties had her doing everything from cornering attending celebs such as Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons via a \u201csexual tension cam\u201d to picking up her falafel order at the main entrance on Sunset Boulevard.<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s event played more like a coronation for a widely favored front-runner, Sean Baker<\/a>\u2018s \u201cAnora.\u201d That film would go on to sweep at the Oscars a little over a week later. The mood today was more tenuous, the industry crowd mulling in the lobby with cocktails, discussing the tail end of awards season and the controversy coming out of the Berlin Film Festival concerning politically cautious juror statements.<\/p>\n

The movies that would be honored here, by contrast, were bolder than the Spirits usually go, resulting in a truly independent raft of winners. Rose Byrne<\/a> won the lead actor prize (the Spirits have gone gender-neutral since 2022) for her commanding, ruinous turn in \u201cIf I Legs I\u2019d Kick You.\u201d Accepting the award, Byrne half-joked, \u201cThis character of Linda really could only exist in an independent film \u2014 she\u2019s fierce and she\u2019s gracious and she\u2019s a middle-aged woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other awardees included the subtly wrought academia drama \u201cSorry, Baby,\u201d honored for director Eva Victor<\/a>\u2018s screenplay and its supporting actor Naomi Ackie; the star-stalking thriller \u201cLurker,\u201d<\/a> which took both the first feature and first screenplay awards; and Brazil\u2019s \u201cThe Secret Agent,\u201d<\/a> claiming the prize for international film.<\/p>\n

The afternoon\u2019s big winner was \u201cTrain Dreams,\u201d<\/a> the little movie that could, one that emerged 13 months ago at Sundance 2025 and is now proving itself to be one of Netflix\u2019s sturdiest Oscar contenders. It took prizes for best feature, director and cinematography, the kind of haul that suggests real momentum.<\/p>\n

A complete list of today\u2019s Spirit winners<\/p>\n

FILM CATEGORIES<\/p>\n

Best Feature
\u201cTrain Dreams\u201d (Netflix)
Producers: Michael Heimler, Will Janowitz, Marissa McMahon, Ashley Schlaifer, Teddy Schwarzman<\/p>\n

Director
Clint Bentley, \u201cTrain Dreams\u201d (Netflix)<\/p>\n

Screenplay
Eva Victor, \u201cSorry, Baby\u201d (A24)<\/p>\n

First Feature
\u201cLurker\u201d (Mubi)
Director: Alex Russell
Producers: Galen Core, Archie Madekwe, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell, Francesco Melzi D\u2019Eril, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Olmo Schnabel, Jack Selby<\/p>\n

First Screenplay
Alex Russell, \u201cLurker\u201d (Mubi)<\/p>\n

John Cassavetes Award
For the best feature made under $1,000,000
\u201cEsta Isla (This Island)\u201d
Writers\/Directors\/Producers: Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones Molina
Writer: Kisha Tikina Burgos<\/p>\n

Breakthrough Performance
Kayo Martin, \u201cThe Plague\u201d (Independent Film Company)<\/p>\n

Supporting Performance
Naomi Ackie, \u201cSorry, Baby\u201d (A24)<\/p>\n

Lead Performance
Rose Byrne, \u201cIf I Had Legs I\u2019d Kick You\u201d (A24)<\/p>\n

Robert Altman Award
For a film\u2019s director, casting director and ensemble cast
\u201cThe Long Walk\u201d (Lionsgate)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Casting Director: Rich Delia
Ensemble Cast: Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Garrett Wareing<\/p>\n

Cinematography
Adolpho Veloso, \u201cTrain Dreams\u201d (Netflix)<\/p>\n

Editing
Sof\u00eda Subercaseaux, \u201cThe Testament of Ann Lee\u201d (Searchlight Pictures)<\/p>\n

International Film
\u201cThe Secret Agent\u201d (Neon)
Director: Kleber Mendon\u00e7a Filho<\/p>\n

Documentary
\u201cThe Perfect Neighbor\u201d (Netflix)
Director\/Producer: Geeta Gandbhir
Producers: Sam Bisbee, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne<\/p>\n

Someone to Watch
Given to a talented filmmaker not yet widely recognized
Tatti Ribeiro, \u201cValentina\u201d<\/p>\n

Truer Than Fiction
Given to an emerging director of nonfiction features
Rajee Samarasinghe, \u201cYour Touch Makes Others Invisible\u201d<\/p>\n

Producers Award
For an emerging producer of quality independent films with limited resources
Tony Yang<\/p>\n

TELEVISION CATEGORIES<\/p>\n

New Scripted Series
\u201cAdolescence\u201d (Netflix)
Creators\/Executive Producers: Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham
Executive Producers: Philip Barantini, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Nina Wolarsky, Hannah Walters, Mark Herbert, Emily Feller
Co-Executive Producers: Carina Sposato, Niall Shamma, Peter Balm<\/p>\n

New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series
\u201cPee-wee as Himself\u201d (HBO Max)
Executive 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<\/p>\n

Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series
Owen Cooper, \u201cAdolescence\u201d (Netflix)<\/p>\n

Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series
Erin Doherty, \u201cAdolescence\u201d (Netflix)<\/p>\n

Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series
Stephen Graham, \u201cAdolescence\u201d (Netflix)<\/p>\n

Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
\u201cChief of War\u201d (Apple TV)
Ensemble Cast: Charlie Brumbly, Luciane Buchanan, Cliff Curtis, Brandon Finn, Moses Goods, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Benjamin Hoetjes, Siua Ikale\u2019o, Keala Kahuanui-Paleka, Mainei Kinimaka, Kaina Makua, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison, Te Kohe Tuhaka, James Udom<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In a smoothly run show peppered with sharp humor but, for the most part, a dearth of pointed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":179867,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[49037,22045,20977,1758,85358,85359,1924,85360,85363,85362,48,52,51,47,50,49,85361,9233,18303,54584,218],"class_list":{"0":"post-179866","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles","8":"tag-a24","9":"tag-adolescence","10":"tag-baby","11":"tag-director","12":"tag-ensemble-cast","13":"tag-executive-producers","14":"tag-film","15":"tag-film-independent-spirit-awards","16":"tag-good-feature","17":"tag-independent-film","18":"tag-la","19":"tag-la-headlines","20":"tag-la-news","21":"tag-los-angeles","22":"tag-los-angeles-headlines","23":"tag-los-angeles-news","24":"tag-lurker","25":"tag-netflix","26":"tag-producer","27":"tag-train-dreams","28":"tag-winner"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=179866"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179866\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=179866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=179866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=179866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}