All posts tagged: Independent Spirit Awards

One of Them Days, Twinless, More

One of Them Days, Twinless, More

Published by Daniella Wilson

Both Peter Hujar’s Day and One of Them Days received shoutouts in host Ego Nwodim’s 2026 Spirit Awards monologue for the different scale of things each film showed being accomplished in a single day. But when it came to Spirit Awards wins, Sunday wasn’t either film’s day. Both Peter Hujar’s Day, which went into the ceremony with a leading five nominations, more than any other film, and One of Them Days, one of a number of movies up for four awards including best feature winner Train Dreams and multiple award winners Lurker and Sorry, Baby, went home empty-handed. Both films had star-studded teams behind them, with Peter Hujar’s Day written and directed by Ira Sachs and starring Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall and One of Them Days starring Keke Palmer and SZA in the Issa Rae-produced film directed by Lawrence Lamont and written by Syreeta Singleton,. SZA was even nominated for best breakthrough performance, losing, in a surprise, to The Plague‘s Kayo Martin. James Sweeney’s acclaimed Dylan O’Brien starrer Twinless was also shut out despite …

Independent Spirit Awards 2026: Best & Worst Moments

Independent Spirit Awards 2026: Best & Worst Moments

Published by Daniella Wilson

The 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards delivered several moments filled with laughter and cheers, as well as some powerful speeches. From Robby Hoffman’s ongoing jokes to Ego Nwodim’s opening monologue poking fun at Cher’s viral Grammys mistake, here are some of the most memorable moments from the Sunday afternoon awards ceremony honoring independent filmmaking. Robby Hoffman Clears Up Claim After She “Didn’t Read the Script” Robby Hoffman was the most frequent presenter at the 2026 Independent Spirit Awards, and in between delivering some of the most shining commentary on Sunday, she had to jokingly walk back a claim she made when introducing a grant recipient. The Hacks star hit the Hollywood Palladium stage to state the winners of the Spirit Awards‘ three grants: the Someone to Watch Award, the Truer Than Fiction Award and the Producers Award. While she was introducing the first honor, Hoffman joked that “you can spend the money how you want. I mean, what the hell do I care, right?” (Tatti Ribeiro, director of Valentina, earned the Someone to Watch Award last month.) When Hoffman returned to launch the …

Robby Hoffman Jokes Spirit Award Grant Recipients Can ‘Spend Money How You Want’

Robby Hoffman Jokes Spirit Award Grant Recipients Can ‘Spend Money How You Want’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Robby Hoffman was the most frequent presenter at the 2026 Independent Spirit Awards, and in between delivering some of the most shining commentary on Sunday, she had to jokingly walk back a claim she made when introducing a grant recipient. The Hacks star hit the Hollywood Palladium stage to state the winners of the Spirit Awards‘ three grants: the Someone to Watch Award, the Truer Than Fiction Award and the Producers Award. While she was introducing the first honor, Hoffman joked that “you can spend the money how you want. I mean, what the hell do I care, right?” (Tatti Ribeiro, director of Valentina, earned the Someone to Watch Award last month.) When Hoffman returned to launch the Truer Than Fiction Award segment, she joked that “the reason I’m back is they told me you’re actually not allowed to use the money however you see fit on the last grant.” “I didn’t read the script that they apparently emailed that came out a couple of weeks ago,” Hoffman said. “I’m behind on my emails, that’s the …

Kumail Nanjiani Jokes About White Men, Erewhon at Spirit Awards 2026

Kumail Nanjiani Jokes About White Men, Erewhon at Spirit Awards 2026

Published by Daniella Wilson

Before Naomi Ackie won the award for supporting performance at the 2026 Independent Spirit Awards, Kumail Nanjiani pointed out that only one white man was nominated in the category, going on to joke about the demographic’s “comeback.” “I’m here to present the award for best supporting actor performance. We have 10 nominees, and this year’s nominees include only one white man,” he began. “Ha ha, your time is over, white man.” “I’m joking, you guys came back. Wow, what a comeback you guys had,” he said, as the audience responded in laughter. “I’ll be honest, we had counted you out. And you showed us. We thought it was our time, we were wrong.” “It is not our time. It is still your time,” the comedian continued, sharing congratulations “to almost everyone here.” Nanjiani then declared that he was “gonna join your ranks from now on,” pronouncing, “I’m a white guy.” “My name is now Chris Male, and I’m gonna start a podcast where I tell it like it is. And I’m eating Erewhon for lunch …

Lurker Wins For Best First Screenplay

Lurker Wins For Best First Screenplay

Published by Daniella Wilson

After Lurker won the best first screenplay award at the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday, writer and director Alex Russell took a moment to thank the people who take risks on indie film and likened that vulnerability to a scene in the 2007 animated film Ratatouille. “There’s this part of Ratatouille near the end where we go into the food critics POV, and he’s talking about how most of the time he’s like, hating on everything, but where he feels the most valuable is when there’s a new voice and he has to take a risk,” Russell said on stage. “In the case of first features, so many people had to be that food critic in Ratatouille and say, ‘Okay, maybe let’s give this kid a chance, even if it makes us look stupid.’ And that can mean anything from putting up financing to just, like, forwarding an email, but it can amaze you how much no one cares at the beginning, and then it’s so much more meaningful when someone does.” He …

2026 Independent Spirit Awards Red Carpet Photos: Looks & Arrivals

2026 Independent Spirit Awards Red Carpet Photos: Looks & Arrivals

Published by Daniella Wilson

Natasha Rothwell, Eva Victor, Taylor Dearden and Lovie Simone are also in attendance at the 41st annual Film Independent Spirit Awards in Hollywood on Sunday. February 15, 2026 12:49pm Published on February 15, 2026 Lamorne Morris, Jenny Slate and Joel Edgerton Monica Schipper/Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage; Monica Schipper/Getty Images Eva Victor Image Credit: Photo Credit: Maya Dehlin Spach/FilmMagic Eva Victor attends the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards at Hollywood Palladium on Feb. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. Lamorne Morris Image Credit: Photo Credit: Maya Dehlin Spach/FilmMagic Lamorne Morris attends the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards at Hollywood Palladium on Feb. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. Xosha Roquemore Image Credit: Photo Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage Xosha Roquemore attends the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards at Hollywood Palladium on Feb. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. Wunmi Mosaku Image Credit: Photo Credit: Monica Schipper/Getty Images Wunmi Mosaku attends the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards at Hollywood Palladium on February 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Jane Levy Image Credit: Photo Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage Jane Levy attends …