The 2021 Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced Tuesday, January 26. So who made the cut at these kudos, which celebrate the best in American independent films? Scroll down to see the full list of nominees for the 2021 Indie Spirits. Remember, only American-made movies with budgets under $20 million were eligible for consideration.
These Spirit contenders were decided by nominating committees that included film critics, film programmers, producers, directors, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors, past nominees and winners, and members of Film Independent’s Board of Directors.
Winners will be chosen by all of Film Independent’s eligible members, including industry insiders and any movie fans who sign up for membership starting at $95 per year.
These awards have come to be a significant preview of the Oscars as the motion picture academy embraces more independent films. Five of the last 10 Spirit champs for Best Feature went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Last year’s Oscar champ “Parasite” was ineligible at the Spirits save for the International Film award, which it won.
The Spirit Awards ceremony has traditionally been held the day before the Oscars in a beachfront tent next to Santa Monica Pier. But this year it is moving up a couple of days. So who will prevail when the prizes are handed out on Thursday, April 22? See the full list of nominees below, and discuss this and more with your fellow movie fans in our forums.
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BEST PICTURE
“First Cow”
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
“Minari”
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
“Nomadland”
BEST DIRECTOR
Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”)
Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”)
Eliza Hittman (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”)
Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”)
Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”)
BEST ACTRESS
Nicole Beharie (“Miss Juneteenth”)
Viola Davis (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)
Sidney Flanigan (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”)
Julia Garner (“The Assistant”)
Frances McDormand (“Nomadland”)
Carey Mulligan (“Promising Young Woman”)
BEST ACTOR
Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”)
Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)
Adarsh Gourav (“The White Tiger”)
Rob Morgan (“Bull”)
Steven Yeun (“Minari”)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alexis Chikaeze (“Miss Juneteenth”)
Yeri Han (“Minari”)
Valerie Mahaffey (“French Exit”)
Talia Ryder (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”)
Yuh-jung Youn (“Minari”)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Colman Domingo (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)
Orion Lee (“First Cow”)
Paul Raci (“Sound of Metal”)
Glynn Turman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”)
Benedict Wong (“Nine Days”)
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BEST SCREENPLAY
“Bad Education”
“The Half of It”
“Minari”
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
“Promising Young Woman”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Jay Keitel (“She Dies Tomorrow”)
Shabier Kirchner (“Bull”)
Michael Latham (“The Assistant”)
Hélène Louvart (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”)
Joshua James Richards (“Nomadland”)
BEST FILM EDITING
“I Carry You With Me”
“The Invisible Man”
“Residue”
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”
“Nomadland”
BEST FIRST FEATURE
“I Carry You With Me”
“The 40 Year Old Version”
“Miss Juneteenth”
“Nine Days”
“Sound of Metal”
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Kitty Green (“The Assistant”)
Noah Hutton (“Lapsis”)
Channing Godfrey Peoples (“Miss Juneteenth”)
Andy Siara (“Palm Springs”)
James Sweeney (“Straight Up”)
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BEST DOCUMENTARY
“Collective”
“Crip Camp”
“Dick Johnson Is Dead”
“Time”
“The Mole Agent”
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
“Bacurau”
“The Disciple”
“Night of the Kings”
“Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time”
“Quo Vadis, Aida?”
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD
(Given to director, casting director and ensemble cast)
“One Night in Miami”
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD
(Best feature made for under $500,000)
“The Killing of Two Lovers”
“La Leyenda Negra”
“Lingua Franca”
“Residue”
“Saint Frances”
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
Cecilia Aldarondo
Director of “Landfall”
Elegance Bratton
Director of “Pier Kids”
Elizabeth Lo
Director of “Stray”
SOMEONE TO WATCH
David Midell (“The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain”)
Ekwa Msangi “( Farewell Amor”)
Annie Silverstein (“Bull”)
PRODUCERS AWARD
Kara Durrett
Lucas Joaquin
Gerry Kim
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