Awards Season 2023: Independent Spirit Awards Winners

Last night (Saturday 4th March) the 38th Film Independent Spirit Awards- recognising films made wholly or partly outside the traditional studio system- took place.

Last year's ceremony took place three weeks before the Academy Awards (rather than its traditional Oscar Eve date). This year, it is taking place eight days before but- crucially- whilst the final stage of Oscars voting is still open (it closes on Tuesday 7th March).  

Streaming live via YouTube, the awards were handed out in an in-person event at the traditional white beachside tent in Santa Monica, with comedian Hasan Minhaj (Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj, The King's Jester, Homecoming King) hosting. 

Here's a full list of film winners. 

Best Feature: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best Lead Performance: Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Best Supporting Performance: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Best Breakthrough Performance: Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Best Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Best Screenplay: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Best First Screenplay: John Patton Ford (Emily The Criminal)

Best Cinematography: Tár

Best Editing: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Best First Feature: Aftersun

Best International Film: Joyland

Best Documentary: All The Beauty And The Bloodshed

John Cassavetes Award: The Cathedral

Robert Altman Award: Women Talking

The John Cassavetes Award is given to the creative team of a film budgeted at less than $1 million (increased this year from $500,000) whilst the Robert Altman Award is presented to the ensemble cast of the movie, its director, and its casting director(s). 

With an astounding seven wins, Everything Everywhere All At Once made Spirit Awards history by winning the most awards for a single film ever. It also swept every category it was nominated for (gaining two nominations in the gender-neutral Best Supporting Performance category, with both Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis recognised for their performances). A frankly phenomenal achievement. 

Congratulations to all winners!

We're almost there, the summit is in sight. Next weekend is the big one- the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday 12th March. Prior to that, of course, there's the fun of the Razzies which have remained at their traditional Eve of the Giving Out of the Naked Little Golden Men. You certainly won't be hearing Everything Everywhere All At Once mentioned there...