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The 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards, taking place this afternoon at the Santa Monica Pier, made history by introducing new gender-neutral acting categories in film and television.
Hosted by comedian Hassan Minhaj, the awards show is the 38th annual awards show and introduces new categories to more fully celebrate talent.
The choice to create gender-neutral acting categories is a significant step toward honoring talent based on merit rather than gender. It’s a step in the right direction toward equality, diversity, and inclusivity, and other award shows will probably take note.
The budgetary limit for eligible films was increased from $22.5 million to $30 million in addition to the categories for gender-neutral acting. This modification will enable a wider range of movies, including those with higher budgets, to be recognized.
Going forward, the John Cassavetes Award will go to the most innovative crew in a film with a budget of $1 million or less. This change ensures that even low-budget productions are eligible for certification.
Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting diversity in independent film and the film industry, invites its members to vote in the Spirit Awards. The event serves as a platform for new talent and celebrates the best in independent filmmaking.
Read also: The Academy Awards: Everything You Need to Know About Hollywood’s Biggest Night
This Year’s Gist: Gender-Neutral
This year’s winners include some of the most outstanding independent films and TV shows of the year. The Best Feature award went to “Red Rocket,” directed by Sean Baker, while “The Lost Daughter,” directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, won the Best Director award.
Best Female Lead went to Olivia Colman for her role in “The Lost Daughter,” while Best Male Lead went to Simon Rex for his performance in “Red Rocket.”
The Best Supporting Female award went to Jessie Buckley for “The Lost Daughter,” while Best Supporting Male went to Kodi Smit-McPhee for “The Power of the Dog.” The Best Screenplay award went to Jane Campion for “The Power of the Dog,” while Best First Feature went to “Aftersun” by Charlotte Colbert.
In the TV category, the Best New Scripted Series award went to “The White Lotus,” while Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series went to Jennifer Coolidge for her role in the same show. Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series went to Michael Greyeyes for his role in “Rutherford Falls.”
The 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards have set a new standard for inclusivity and diversity in the industry.
The introduction of gender-neutral acting categories and the changes to the budgetary caps demonstrate a commitment to recognizing talent based on merit and not on gender or budget. It is an exciting time for independent cinema, and the future looks bright for emerging talent.
2023: Film Independent Spirit Awards
MOVIES
Best Feature
Bones and All
WINNER: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Our Father, The Devil
Tár
Women Talking
Best Director
Todd Field, Tár
Kogonada, After Yang
WINNER: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Sarah Polley, Women Talking
Halina Reijn, Bodies Bodies Bodies
Best First Feature
WINNER: Aftersun
Emily the Criminal
The Inspection
Murina
Palm Trees and Power Lines
Best Lead Performance
Cate Blanchett, Tár
Dale Dickey, A Love Song
Mia Goth, Pearl
Regina Hall, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
Paul Mescal, Aftersun
Aubrey Plaza, Emily the Criminal
Jeremy Pope, The Inspection
Taylor Russell, Bones and All
Andrea Riseborough, To Leslie
WINNER: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Performance
Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Brian Tyree Henry, Causeway
Nina Hoss, Tár
Brian d’Arcy James, The Cathedral
WINNER: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Trevante Rhodes, Bruiser
Theo Rossi, Emily the Criminal
Mark Rylance, Bones and All
Jonathan Tucker, Palm Trees and Power Lines
Gabrielle Union, The Inspection
Best Breakthrough Performance
Frankie Corio, Aftersun
Gracija Filipović, Murina
WINNER: Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Lily McInerny, Palm Trees and Power Lines
Daniel Zolghadri, Funny Pages
Best Screenplay
Kogonada, After Yang
Lena Dunham, Catherine Called Birdy
WINNER: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Todd Field, Tár
Sarah Polley, Women Talking
Best First Screenplay
Sarah Delappe, Bodies Bodies Bodies
K.D. Dávila, Emergency
WINNER: John Patton Ford, Emily the Criminal
Joel Kim Booster, Fire Island
Jamie Back and Audrey Findlay, Palm Trees and Power Lines
Best Cinematography
Gregory Oke, Aftersun
Hélène Louvart, Murina
Anisa Uzeyman, Neptune Frost
Eliot Rockett, Pearl
WINNER: Florian Hoffmeister, Tár
Best Editing
Blair McClendon, Aftersun
Ricky D’Ambrose, The Cathedral
WINNER: Paul Rogers, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Dean Fleischer Camp & Nick Paley, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Monika Willi, Tár
Robert Altman Award
Women Talking, director Sarah Polley; casting directors John Buchan and Jason Knight; ensemble cast: Shayla Brown, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Kara Guloien, Kate Hallett, Judith Ivey, Rooney Mara, Sheila McCarthy, Frances McDormand, Michelle McLeod, Liv McNeil, Ben Whisaw, August Winter
Best Documentary
A House Made of Splinters
All That Breathes
WINNER: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Midwives
Riotsville, U.S.A.
Best International Film
Corsage (Austria, Luxembourg, France, Italy, England)
WINNER: Joyland (Pakistan, USA)
Leonor Will Never Die (Philippines)
Return to Seoul (South Korea, France, Belgium, Romania)
Saint Omer (France)
Someone to Watch Award
Adamma Ebo, Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
WINNER: Nikyatu Jusu, Nanny
Araceli Lemos, Holy Emy
Truer Than Fiction Award
Isabel Castro, Mija
WINNER: Reid Davenport, I Didn’t See You There
Rebeca Huntt, Beba
John Cassavetes Award
The African Desperate
A Love Song
WINNER: The Cathedral
Holy Emy
Something in the Dirt
Producers Award
Liz Cardenas
WINNER: Tory Lenosky
David Grove Churchill Viste
TV
Best New Scripted Series
WINNER: The Bear
Pachinko
The Porter
Severance
Station Eleven
Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series
Children of the Underground
Mind Over Murder
Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?
WINNER: The Rehearsal
We Need to Talk About Cosby
Read also: Celebrating the Actors’ Craft: Highlights from the 29th Annual SAG Awards
Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series
Aml Ameen, The Porter
Mohammed Amer, Mo
WINNER: Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere
KaMillion, Rap Sh!t
Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets
Himesh Patel, Station Eleven
Sue Ann Pien, As We See It
Adam Scott, Severance
Ben Whishaw, This Is Going to Hurt
Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series
Danielle Deadwyler, Station Eleven
WINNER: Ayo Edibiri, The Bear
Jeff Hiller, Somebody Somewhere
Gbemisola Ikumelo, A League of Their Own
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Frankie Quiñones, This Fool
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Molly Shannon, I Love That For You
Tramell Tillman, Severance
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series
Pachinko
Photo: Metro
