In what could very well be a harbinger of things to come, Birdman and Boyhood split the top two prizes at tonight’s Independent Spirit Awards. Birdman was given the Best Feature prize while Richard Linklater took home Best Director for Boyhood, and I’m predicting the same thing to happen at tomorrow’s Academy Awards. Birdman took home three trophies in all at the Spirit Awards, which recognize the very best in independent cinema. The comedy nabbed Best Actor for Michael Keaton (Oscar frontrunner Eddie Redmayne wasn’t nominated) and Best Cinematography for Emmanuel Lubezki, while Boyhood’s Patricia Arquette won Best Supporting Actress.
Elsewhere, the excellent Nightcrawler was awarded Best First Feature and writer/director Dan Gilroy also won Best Screenplay. During his acceptance speech, Gilroy ruffled a few feathers by lamenting the “tsunami of superhero movies that have swept over this industry,” saying the evening’s awards are proof that independent film is still thriving regardless.
The other film that nabbed multiple awards during the ceremony was Whiplash, which won Best Editing and Best Supporting Actor, continuing J.K. Simmons’ steamroll through awards season which should result in an Oscar tomorrow night.
And Paul Thomas Anderson's wonderfully hypnotic Inherent Vice finally found some love in the form of the Robert Altman Award, which is given to a film's director, casting director, and ensemble cast.
Check out the full list of the 2015 Independent Spirit Awards winners below.
BEST FEATURE
Birdman
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
BEST MALE LEAD
Michael Keaton, Birdman
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
BEST DIRECTOR
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Citizenfour
Director/Producer: Laura Poitras
Producers: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky
BEST SCREENPLAY
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
H., Directors: Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
BEST FIRST FEATURE
Nightcrawler
Director: Dan Gilroy; Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
Land Ho!
Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz & Martha Stephens; Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Ida (Poland), Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
20th ANNUAL LENSCRAFTERS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
The Kill Team, Director: Dan Krauss
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Justin Simien, Dear White People
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
BEST EDITING
Tom Cross, Whiplash
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
Inherent Vice