2026 Independent Spirit Award Nominations

The Independent Spirit Awards announced their nominations today, and the most exciting part...I get to vote this year! I joined Film Independent for the first time and I'm really excited to contribute, even if it's just a little. And of course to see some great movies.(watching all the nominees is required before voting) Below is a full list of the nominees + my thoughts

Best Feature

Peter Hujar’s Day

The Plague

Sorry, Baby

Train Dreams

Twinless

So far I've only seen Sorry, Baby (clear favorite) and Train Dreams. Sorry, Baby is currently in my Top 10 of the year.

Best Director

Clint Bentley, Train Dreams

Mary Bronstein, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Lloyd Lee Choi, Lucky Lu

Ira Sachs, Peter Hujar’s Day

Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby

I'm really excited to see if I Had Legs I'd Kick You, again, I've only seen 2 of these. 

Best First Feature

Blue Sun Palace

Dust Bunny

East of Wall

Lurker

One of Them Days

One of Them Days being here cracks me up. I was not expecting this film to make it on any year end lists. It was a ton of fun. And as you saw on the Blog last week, I also enjoyed Lurker. 

Best Lead Performance

Everett Blunck, The Plague

Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Kathleen Chalfant, Familiar Touch

Chang Chen, Lucky Lu

Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams

Dylan O’Brien, Twinless

Keke Palmer, One of Them Days

Théodore Pellerin, Lurker

Tessa Thompson, Hedda

Ben Whishaw, Peter Hujar’s Day

I do not like genderless categories. I'd rather have more winners, and I really hope they eventually go back to Actor and Actress. Maybe they'll find a way to better include nonbinary folk, or give them their own category. Either way, lots of great performers here. I've seen 4 of the nominated films.

Best Supporting Performance

Naomi Ackie, Sorry, Baby

Zoey Deutch, Nouvelle Vague

Kirsten Dunst, Roofman

Rebecca Hall, Peter Hujar’s Day

Nina Hoss, Hedda

Jane Levy, A Little Prayer

Archie Madekwe, Lurker

Kali Reis, Rebuilding

Jacob Tremblay, Sovereign

Haipeng Xu, Blue Sun Palace

I am a Naomi Ackie STAN for Sorry, Baby! (and in general, I guess) 

Best Breakthrough Performance

Liz Larsen, The Baltimorons

Kayo Martin, The Plague

Misha Osherovich, She’s the He

SZA, One of Them Days

Tabatha Zimiga, East of Wall

SZA was pretty damn good. I have a screener for The Baltimorons to catch up on, but really looking forward to seeing the films in this category. We love a breakout. 

Best Screenplay

A Little Prayer

Sorry, Baby

Sovereign

Splitsville

Twinless

Best First Screenplay

Blue Sun Palace

Friendship

Lurker

One of Them Days

Outerlands

Friendships is another one I've seen already. Cringe comedy is an acquired taste, but I thought it was great. 

Best Cinematography

Blue Sun Palace

Dust Bunny

Peter Hujar’s Day

Train Dreams

Warfare

Train Dreams is one of the most beautiful films I've seen this year. I love Warfare being here too though.

Best Editing

Eephus

Good Boy

Splitsville

The Testament of Ann Lee

Warfare

Warfare has excellent editing (and Sound) so I'll be surprised if something tops that for me. 

Best Documentary

Come See Me in the Good Light

Endless Cookie

My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 — Last Air in Moscow

The Perfect Neighbor

The Tale of Silyan

My Undesirable Friends has been getting a lot of buzz lately. I've only seen The Perfect Neighbor, which is horrifying but so well done. 

Best International Film

All That’s Left of You

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl

A Poet

The Secret Agent

Sirāt

On Becoming A Guinea Fowl is fantastic and is currently streaming on HBO Max if you haven't caught it yet!

Robert Altman Award

The cast, casting director, and director of The Long Walk

PLEASE let this translate into a Best Casting Oscar nomination

Someone to Watch Award

Tatti Ribeiro

Neo Sora

Annapurna Sriram

Truer Than Fiction Award

Tony Benna

Rajee Samarasinghe

Brittany Shyne

John Cassavetes Award

The Baltimorons

Boys Go to Jupiter

Eephus

Esta Isla

Familiar Touch

Producers Award

Emma Hannaway

Luca Intili

Tony Yang

Best New Scripted Series

Adolescence

Common Side Effects

Forever

Mr. Loverman

North of North

Is Adolescence going to continue its winning parade? Probably. 

Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series

Citizen Nation

Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time

Pee-Wee As Himself

Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television

Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae

Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series

Sydney Chandler, Alien: Earth

Stephen Graham, Adolescence

Ethan Hawke, The Lowdown

Lennie James, Mr. Loverman

Anna Lambe, North of North

Lola Petticrew, Say Nothing

Seth Rogen, The Studio

Lovie Simone, Forever

Michelle Williams, Dying for Sex

Noah Wyle, The Pitt

I wish Alex Lawther would've gotten some love for Alien: Earth, but it's nice to see Sydney Chandler here. 

Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series

Ariyon Bakare, Mr. Loverman

Babou Ceesay, Alien: Earth

Sharon D. Clarke, Mr. Loverman

Taylor Dearden, The Pitt

Erin Doherty, Adolescence

Stephen McKinley Henderson, A Man on the Inside

Poorna Jagannathan, Deli Boys

Xosha Roquemore, Forever

Jenny Slate, Dying for Sex

Ben Whishaw, Black Doves

LOVE seeing Babou Ceesay here. Alien: Earth had such a strong supporting cast. More of them could've easily been here. 

Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series

Asif Ali, Deli Boys

Wally Baram, Overcompensating

Owen Cooper, Adolescence

Michael Cooper Jr., Forever

Ernest Kinglsey Junior, Washington Black

Obviously I'm here for Owen Cooper. That kid was incredible. I need to see these other shows though. Not sure I'll be able to vote in these categories.

Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series

Chief of War