Anora is a winner at the Independent Spirit Awards

Dìdi makes a breakthrough

by Jennie Kermode

Anora
Anora

Anora was the big winner at the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday night, winning the triple crown of Best Feature, Best Director (for Sean Baker) and Best Lead Performance (for Mikey Madison). On a night which otherwise stuck surprisingly close to the script for this year's major awards, there were two wins for indie charmer Dìdi, and Best Cinematography went to one of the most neglected contenders of the year, Nickel Boys, which takes a bold and very different approach to framing.

Also significant this year was the prize for Best Documentary going to No Other Land, as the film, which deals with the destruction of a Palestinian village in the West Bank, has been struggling to get bookings in US cinemas because its subject matter is deemed too contentious - despite the fact that it is an Israeli-Palestinian co-production.

This year's award for Best International Film went to Flow, which is unusual because the Spirits don't usually show an interest in animation, but this little Latvian film has been winning admirers wherever it has been seen.

Those film award winners in full:

Best Feature

Best First Feature

Best Director

Best Lead Performance

Best Supporting Performance

Best Breakthrough Performance

Best Screenplay

Best First Screenplay

Best International Film

Best Documentary

Best Cinematography

Best Editing

Share this with others on...
News

The serpent's call Composer Stephen Lukach on creating tension and awe in Beware Boiúna

Care and community Mike Leigh and the Tender Loving Care cast on humanity and looking out for one another

The aftermath Jorge Thielen Armand on returning to Venezuela to make Death Has No Master

Making magic Gregg Bishop on witches, inspiring actors, instinctive filmmaking and The Heretiks

The road to The Guests Cristina Diz and Stefan Butzmühlen on working together on their latest film

Beyond Saturn Tina Gharavi, Tala Calil and Assaad Bouab on Shadows Of Beirut

Puppy love Brad Pitt on the 'moving' Heart Of The Beast shoot thanks to furry co-star Odin

More news and features

Interact

Don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.


It's a busy time for festivals and here's the latest:


San Sebastian Golden night for Tender Loving Care


Toronto La Bola Negra wins People's Choice award


San Sebastian Naomi Watts dedicates Donostia Award to Lynch


San Sebastian Werner Herzog honoured


Dinard Full programme announced


LFF Full programme announced