2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards: Winners & Highlights
- The 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards, held on February 15, 2026 at the Hollywood Palladium, offered a refreshing counterpoint to the upcoming Academy Awards, celebrating independent film and...
- Nwodim’s hosting duties were praised for their sharp humor, including a running gag about securing a falafel order during the show.
- “Train Dreams,” a Netflix release, emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home three awards: Best Feature, Best Director for Clint Bentley, and Best Cinematography for Adolpho Veloso.
The 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards, held on at the Hollywood Palladium, offered a refreshing counterpoint to the upcoming Academy Awards, celebrating independent film and television with a looser, more unpredictable energy. The ceremony, hosted by actress and comedian Ego Nwodim, marked a return to the Hollywood Palladium after a 32-year absence, necessitated by renovations at the longtime home of the awards, the Santa Monica Pier.
Nwodim’s hosting duties were praised for their sharp humor, including a running gag about securing a falafel order during the show. The atmosphere, attendees noted, was more contemplative than last year’s event, which felt like a coronation for Sean Baker’s “Anora” before its Oscar sweep. This year, the industry crowd was engaged in discussions about the tail end of awards season and recent controversies surrounding juror statements at the Berlin Film Festival.
“Train Dreams,” a Netflix release, emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home three awards: Best Feature, Best Director for Clint Bentley, and Best Cinematography for Adolpho Veloso. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in , is now gaining significant momentum as a potential Oscar contender.
Rose Byrne received the award for Lead Performance for her role in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” a film celebrated for its willingness to portray complex, unconventional characters. Accepting the award, Byrne remarked that her character, Linda, “could only exist in an independent film—she’s fierce and she’s gracious and she’s a middle-aged woman.”
Eva Victor’s screenplay for “Sorry, Baby” was also recognized, along with a Supporting Performance win for Naomi Ackie. The film, praised for its subtle exploration of academia, resonated with the Spirit Awards’ focus on original storytelling. Alex Russell’s “Lurker” secured both the First Feature and First Screenplay awards, highlighting the awards’ commitment to supporting emerging filmmakers. Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” claimed the prize for International Film.
Beyond the feature film categories, the Spirit Awards also honored excellence in television. “Adolescence,” a Netflix series, was a major winner in the television categories, securing the award for New Scripted Series. Stephen Graham won Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series for his work on the show, while Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty were recognized for their Breakthrough and Supporting performances, respectively. The series also won for its ensemble cast.
The John Cassavetes Award, recognizing the best feature made under $1,000,000, went to “Esta Isla (This Island).” Kayo Martin was awarded Breakthrough Performance for “The Plague,” and Sofía Subercaseaux received the award for Editing for “The Testament of Ann Lee.” “The Perfect Neighbor,” a Netflix documentary, was honored as Best Documentary.
The Spirit Awards also spotlighted emerging talent with awards for Someone to Watch (Tatti Ribeiro for “Valentina”) and Truer Than Fiction (Rajee Samarasinghe for “Your Touch Makes Others Invisible”). Tony Yang was recognized with the Producers Award for his work in supporting independent filmmaking.
The 41st Film Independent Spirit Awards, as hosted by Ego Nwodim, underscored the organization’s dedication to fostering independence and inclusivity in visual storytelling. The move to the Hollywood Palladium proved successful, providing a vibrant backdrop for a celebration of the best in independent film and television. The awards, streamed live on YouTube via Film Independent and IMDb, continue to serve as a vital platform for amplifying the voices of independent storytellers and celebrating their unique visions.
A complete list of today’s Spirit winners
FILM CATEGORIES
Best Feature
“Train Dreams” (Netflix)
Producers: Michael Heimler, Will Janowitz, Marissa McMahon, Ashley Schlaifer, Teddy Schwarzman
Director
Clint Bentley, “Train Dreams” (Netflix)
Screenplay
Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby” (A24)
First Feature
“Lurker” (Mubi)
Director: Alex Russell
Producers: Galen Core, Archie Madekwe, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell, Francesco Melzi D’Eril, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Olmo Schnabel, Jack Selby
First Screenplay
Alex Russell, “Lurker” (Mubi)
John Cassavetes Award
For the best feature made under $1,000,000
“Esta Isla (This Island)”
Writers/Directors/Producers: Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones Molina
Writer: Kisha Tikina Burgos
Breakthrough Performance
Kayo Martin, “The Plague” (Independent Film Company)
Supporting Performance
Naomi Ackie, “Sorry, Baby” (A24)
Lead Performance
Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” (A24)
Robert Altman Award
For a film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast
“The Long Walk” (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
Cinematography
Adolpho Veloso, “Train Dreams” (Netflix)
Editing
Sofía Subercaseaux, “The Testament of Ann Lee” (Searchlight Pictures)
International Film
“The Secret Agent” (Neon)
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Documentary
“The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)
Director/Producer: Geeta Gandbhir
Producers: Sam Bisbee, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne
Someone to Watch
Given to a talented filmmaker not yet widely recognized
Tatti Ribeiro, “Valentina”
Truer Than Fiction
Given to an emerging director of nonfiction features
Rajee Samarasinghe, “Your Touch Makes Others Invisible”
Producers Award
For an emerging producer of quality independent films with limited resources
Tony Yang
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
New Scripted Series
“Adolescence” (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
New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series
“Pee-wee as Himself” (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
Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series
Owen Cooper, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series
Erin Doherty, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series
Stephen Graham, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
“Chief of War” (Apple TV)
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