Spirit Awards 2016: Winners list

Spotlight is on the hunt for big prizes at the Academy Awards on Sunday, but the film already took home some hardware this weekend. The film won Best Feature at Saturday’s Film Independent Spirit Awards, while director Tom McCarthy won Best Director and shared a victory in the Screenplay category with his co-writer Josh Singer.

For more than three decades, the Spirit Awards have honored independent films in a modest ceremony, usually held on the beach at Santa Monica the day before the Oscars. Winning at the Spirits doesn’t necessarily mean much for a film’s Oscar chances – studio films are excluded, whatever “studio” means in the age of Netflix. But the awards show, broadcast on IFC, had undeniable added resonance this year. In the moment of #OscarsSoWhite, three of the four acting prizes went to non-white performers: Abraham Attah and Idris Elba for Beasts of No Nation, and Mya Taylor for Tangerine.

WANT MORE EW? Subscribe now to keep up with the latest in movies, television and music.

Here is the complete list of winners from Saturday’s awards presentation:

Best Feature: Spotlight

Best Director: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Best Female Lead: Brie Larson, Room

Best Male Lead: Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation

Best Supporting Female: Mya Taylor, Tangerine

Best Supporting Male: Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation

Best Cinematography: Ed Lachman, Carol

Best International Film: Son of Saul

Best Screenplay: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer, Spotlight

Best Documentary: The Look of Silence

Best Editing: Tom McArdle, Spotlight

Best First Feature: Marielle Heller, The Diary of a Teenage Girl

Best First Screenplay: Emma Donoghue, Room

John Cassavetes Award: Krisha

Robert Altman Award: Spotlight