Anora big winner at Film Independent Spirit Awards
'Anora' was the big winner at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday (22.02.25), taking three prizes including Best Feature.
'Anora' was the big winner at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday (22.02.25).
The comedy drama picked up the prestigious Best Feature accolade ahead of ‘I Saw The TV Glow’, ‘Nickel Boys’, ‘Sing Sing’ and ‘The Substance’, as well as Best Director for Sean Baker and Lead Performance for actress Mikey Madison at the annual event - which honours productions that cost less than $30 million to make - at Santa Monica Pier.
During his acceptance speech, "indie lifer" Sean warned smaller movies are "struggling more than ever".
He said: “If you’re a writer or director trying to break in right now, you’ll make a film for free. Take the DGA minimum and divide it by three...
"The system has to be changed, it’s completely unsustainable. We shouldn’t be barely getting by."
And in her speech, Mikey - who was nominated in the gender-neutral category alongside Amy Adams ('Nightbitch'), Ryan Destiny ('The Fire Inside'), Colman Domingo ('Sing Sing'), Keith Kupferer ('Ghostlight'), Demi Moore ('The Substance'), Hunter Schafer ('Cuckoo'), Justice Smith ('I Saw the TV Glow'), June Squibb ('Thelma') and Sebastian Stan ('The Apprentice') - paid tribute to the filmmaker.
She gushed: “I want to thank Sean Baker. All of this started with you. You are an incredible director, a wonderful friend, incredible chihuahua owner. I’m so grateful that you came into my life.”
Meanwhile, 'A Real Pain' scooped Best Screenplay for Jesse Eisenberg, who also directed and starred in the movie and Best Supporting Perofrmance for Kieran Culkin, who was unable to attend the event.
But Jesse praised his pal on stage as he said: “Kieran is a very spontaneous person but he doesn’t improvise dialogue. That’s not the way we work. Kieran’s main love is theatre as an actor and you don’t improv in theatre. … It was a dream to work with him because he’s so great.”
'Didi' was also a double winner, picking up Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay.
On the TV side, 'Baby Reindeer' scored a trio of wins, with creator Richard Gadd taking Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series, and Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau winning Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series and Best Supporting Performane in a New Scripted Series respectively.
Speaking backstage afterwards, Richard told Deadline: “I just can’t believe how much this show has resonated, reached so many people and touched so many people.
“I thought it might be artistically celebrated. I never thought it would be watched my this many people. … It’s crazy when I think about all the darkness I was going through that it led to that.”
While awards season favourite 'Shogun' had been nominated for five prizes, the FX drama took just one, for Best New Scripted Series.
2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards winners list:
Best Feature:
'Anora'
Best Lead Performance:
Mikey Madison 'Anora'
Best Director:
Sean Baker - 'Anora'
Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series:
Richard Gadd - 'Baby Reindeer'
Best International Film:
'Flow'
Best Supporting Performance
Kieran Culkin - 'A Real Pain'
Best Editing:
Hansjörg Weissbrich - 'September 5'
Best Cinematography:
Jomo Fray - 'Nickelboys'
Best First Screenplay:
Sean Wang - 'Didi'
Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series:
'Hollywood Black'
Best New Scripted Series:
'Shōgun'
Best Screenplay:
Jesse Eisenberg - 'A Real Pain'
Best First Feature:
'Didi'
Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series:
Jessica Gunning - 'Baby Reindeer'
Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series:
Nava Mau - 'Baby Reindeer'
Best Documentary:
'No Other Land'
Best Breakthrough Performance:
Maisy Stella - 'My Old Ass'
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series:
'How to Die Alone'
Producers Award:
Sarah Winshall
Truer Than Fiction Award:
Rachel Elizabeth Seed, director 'A Photographic Memory'
John Cassavetes Award:
'Girls Will Be Girls'
Robert Altman award:
'His Three Daughters'
Someone to Watch Award:
Sarah Friedland, director, 'Familiar Touch'
