‘Anora,’ ‘I Saw the TV Glow’ Lead 2025 Indie Spirit Awards Nominations
With six nominations apiece, “Anora” and “I Saw the TV Glow” led all nominees in the film categories for the 40th Anniversary Film Independent Awards, which were announced on Wednesday morning. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2025. As previously announced, Aidy Bryant will return as host.
Directed by Sean Baker, “Anora” has been on a winning streak since it premiered in Cannes in May, where it won the Palme d’Or. Jane Schoenbrun’s less well known horror movie “I Saw the TV Glow” gave it some stiff competition, tying it for the most nominations among film entries. “Didi” got four nods, while “Sing Sing” and “Janet Planet” tied with three nominations each.
Because the Indie Spirit Awards use different nominating committees for different categories, it’s usual for the choices to be inconsistent. That was certainly the case this year, with “Anora” and “I Saw the TV Glow” becoming the only films to be nominated in both the Best Feature and Best Director categories. (They both added acting nominations as well.)
“Nickel Boys,” “Sing Sing” and “The Substance,” by contrast, were nominated for Best Feature but their directors were bypassed in favor of Ali Abbasi (“The Apprentice”), Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”) and Alonso Ruizpalacios (“La Cocina”), all of which weren’t nominated in the feature category.
“The Brutalist” was probably the biggest “snub” of the nominations, with Corbet the film’s only nominee one day after the drama won the New York Film Critics Circle award as the year’s best film. While the film’s distributor, A24, dominated with 19 total nominations for eight different films, five of those films received more noms than “The Brutalist”: “I Saw the TV Glow” got six, “Janet Planet” and “Sing Sing” three and “A Different Man” and “Problemista” two.
Meanwhile, “Emilia Perez” was eligible only in the Best International Feature category, but it wasn’t nominated – and neither was Pablo Larrain’s “Maria,” another high-profile Netflix film that was eligible only in that category.
Other films that didn’t do as well as might have been expected include “Nickel Boys,” which won Gotham and NYFCC directing awards but was nominated for Best Feature but only one other award, for cinematography; “The Substance,” nominated for feature and for lead actress Demi Moore; and “The Piano Lesson,” which received noms for Best First Feature and actress Danielle Deadwyler.
“I Saw the TV Glow,” “Didi” and “Janet Planet,” on the other hand, held their own against higher-profile competition.
In the TV categories, two Emmy champs led the way: “Shōgun” (five nominations) and “Baby Reindeer” (four).
The Film Independent Spirit Awards are open to films that were made for less than $30 million and were either programmed at one of eight specific film festivals or exhibited theatrically for at least one week during 2024. Except in the Best International Film and Best Documentary categories, films must also qualify as “American productions” by having U.S. citizens or permanent residents in two of the three positions of director, producer or writer. Films that do not qualify as American, such as “Emilia Pérez” this year, are eligible in the international category for narrative films or the documentary category for nonfiction films.
The films must also be considered “independent” in the judgment of the Film Independent nominating committees, which makes that determination on the basis of “uniqueness of vision,” “original, provocative subject matter,” “diversity (on camera and behind the camera)” and “economy of means.”
In the television categories, programs are eligible only in their first season.
Over the past 10 years, the Spirit Award nominations have typically included one, two or three films that go on to receive Oscar nominations for Best Picture, with a high of four matches in 2014 and a low of no matches in 2018 and 2021. During the same period, an average of slightly fewer than five Spirit acting nominees per year have also been recognized with Oscar noms.
Here is the full list of nominees for the 40th Anniversary Film Independent Awards.
2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees
BEST FEATURE (Award given to the producer)
AnoraProducers: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan
I Saw the TV GlowProducers: Ali Herting, Sam Intili, Dave McCary, Emma Stone, Sarah Winshall
Nickel BoysProducers: Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, David Levine
Sing SingProducers: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Monique Walton
The SubstanceProducers: Tim Bevan, Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner
BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to director and producer)
DìdiDirector/Producer: Sean WangProducers: Valerie Bush, Carlos López Estrada, Josh PetersIn the SummersDirector: Alessandra Lacorazza SamudioProducers: Janek Ambros, Lynette Coll, Alexander Dinelaris, Cynthia Fernandez De La Cruz, Cristóbal Güell, Sergio Alberto Lira, Rob Quadrino, Jan Suter, Daniel Tantalean, Nando Vila, Slava Vladimirov, Stephanie Yankwitt
Janet PlanetDirector/Producer: Annie BakerProducers: Andrew Goldman, Dan Janvey, Derrick Tseng
The Piano LessonDirector: Malcolm WashingtonProducers: Todd Black, Denzel Washington
ProblemistaDirector/Producer: Julio TorresProducers: Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Emma Stone
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000 (Award given to the writer, director and producer)
Big BoysWriter/Director/Producer: Corey ShermanProducer: Allison Tate
GhostlightWriter/Director: Kelly O’SullivanDirector/Producer: Alex ThompsonProducers: Pierce Cravens, Ian Keiser, Chelsea Krant, Eddie Linker, Alex Wilson
Girls Will Be GirlsWriter/Director/Producer: Shuchi TalatiProducers: Richa Chadha, Claire Chassagne
JazzyWriter/Director/Producer: Morrisa MaltzWriter/Producer: Lainey ShangreauxWriters: Andrew Hajek, Vanara TaingProducers: Miranda Bailey, Tommy Heitkamp, John Way, Natalie Whalen, Elliott Whitton
The People’s JokerWriter/Director: Vera DrewWriter: Bri LeRoseProducer: Joey Lyons
BEST DIRECTORAli Abbasi, The ApprenticeSean Baker, AnoraBrady Corbet, The BrutalistAlonso Ruizpalacios, La CocinaJane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow
BEST SCREENPLAYScott Beck, Bryan Woods, HereticJesse Eisenberg, A Real PainMegan Park, My Old AssAaron Schimberg, A Different ManJane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAYJoanna Arnow, The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has PassedAnnie Baker, Janet PlanetIndia Donaldson, Good OneJulio Torres, ProblemistaSean Wang, Dìdi
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCEAmy Adams, NightbitchRyan Destiny, The Fire InsideColman Domingo, Sing SingKeith Kupferer, GhostlightMikey Madison, AnoraDemi Moore, The SubstanceHunter Schafer, CuckooJustice Smith, I Saw the TV GlowJune Squibb, ThelmaSebastian Stan, The Apprentice
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCEYura Borisov, AnoraJoan Chen, DìdiKieran Culkin, A Real PainDanielle Deadwyler, The Piano LessonCarol Kane, Between the TemplesKarren Karagulian, AnoraKani Kusruti, Girls Will Be GirlsBrigette Lundy-Paine, I Saw the TV GlowClarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, Sing SingAdam Pearson, A Different Man
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCEIsaac Krasner, Big BoysKaty O’Brian, Love Lies BleedingMason Alexander Park, National AnthemRené Pérez Joglar, In the SummersMaisy Stella, My Old Ass
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHYDinh Duy Hung, Inside the Yellow Cocoon ShellJomo Fray, Nickel BoysMaria von Hausswolff, Janet PlanetJuan Pablo Ramírez, La CocinaRina Yang, The Fire Inside
BEST EDITINGLaura Colwell, Vanara Taing, JazzyOlivier Bugge Coutté, Olivia Neergaard-Holm, The ApprenticeAnne McCabe, NightbitchHansjörg Weissbrich, September 5Arielle Zakowski, Dìdi
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director, and ensemble castHis Three DaughtersDirector: Azazel JacobsCasting Director: Nicole ArbustoEnsemble Cast: Jovan Adepo, Jasmine Bracey, Carrie Coon, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Randy Ramos Jr., Jay O. Sanders
BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
Gaucho GauchoDirectors/Producers: Michael Dweck, Gregory KershawProducers: Christos Konstantakopoulos, Cameron O’Reilly, Matthew Perniciaro
HummingbirdsDirectors: Silvia Del Carmen Castaños, Estefanía “Beba” ContrerasCo-Directors/Producers: Miguel Drake-McLaughlin, Diane Ng, Ana Rodriguez-Falco, Jillian SchlesingerProducers: Leslie Benavides, Rivkah Beth Medow
No Other LandDirectors/Producers: Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel SzorProducers: Fabien Greenberg, Bård Kjøge Rønning
Patrice: The MovieDirector: Ted PassonProducers: Kyla Harris, Innbo Shim, Emily Spivack
Soundtrack to a Coup d’EtatDirector: Johan GrimonprezProducers: Rémi Grellety, Daan Milius
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
All We Imagine as LightFrance, India, Netherlands, LuxembourgDirector: Payal Kapadia
Black DogChinaDirector: Guan Hu
FlowLatvia, France, BelgiumDirector: Gints Zilbalodis
Green BorderPoland, France, Czech Republic, BelgiumDirector: Agnieszka Holland
Hard TruthsUnited KingdomDirector: Mike Leigh
PRODUCERS AWARD presented by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey – The Producers Award, now in its 28th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality independent films.Alex CocoSarah WinshallZoë Worth
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 31st year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.Nicholas Colia, Director of Griffin in SummerSarah Friedland, Director of Familiar TouchPham Thien An, Director of Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 30th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie, Directors of SugarcaneCarla Gutiérrez, Director of FridaRachel Elizabeth Seed, Director of A Photographic Memory
BEST NEW NON-SCRIPTED OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES (Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)
Erased: WW2’s Heroes of ColorExecutive Producers: Idris Elba, Johanna Woolford Gibbon, Jamilla Dumbuya, Jos Cushing, Khaled Gad, Matt Robins, Chris Muckle, Sean David Johnson, Simon RaikesCo-Executive Producer: Annabel Hobley
Hollywood BlackExecutive Producers: Shayla Harris, Dave Sirulnick, Stacey Reiss, Jon Kamen, Justin Simien, Kyle Laursen, Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jeffrey Schwarz, Amy Goodman Kass, Michael Wright, Jill BurkhartCo-Executive Producers: David C. Brown, Laurens Grant
PhotographerExecutive Producers: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin, Pagan Harleman, Betsy ForhanCo-Executive Producers: Anna Barnes, Brent Kunkle
Ren FaireExecutive Producers: Ronald Bronstein, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Eli Bush, Dani Bernfeld, Lance Oppenheim, David Gauvey Herbert, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, Sara RodriguezCo-Executive Producers: Abigail Rowe, Christian Vasquez, Max Allman
Social StudiesCreator/Executive Producer: Lauren GreenfieldExecutive Producers: Wallis Annenberg, Regina K. Scully, Andrea van Beuren, Frank Evers, Caryn Capotosto
BEST NEW SCRIPTED SERIES (Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)
Baby ReindeerCreator/Executive Producer: Richard GaddExecutive Producers: Wim De Greef, Petra Fried, Matt Jarvis, Ed Macdonald
Diarra From DetroitCreator/Executive Producer: Diarra KilpatrickExecutive Producers: Kenya Barris, Miles Orion Feldsott, Darren GoldbergCo-Executive Producers: Ester Lou, Mark Ganek
English TeacherCreator/Executive Producer: Brian Jordan AlvarezExecutive Producers: Paul Simms, Jonathan Krisel, Dave KingCo-Executive Producers: Kathryn Dean, Jake Bender, Zach Dunn
FantasmasCreator/Executive Producer: Julio TorresExecutive Producers: Emma Stone, Dave McCary, Olivia Gerke, Alex Bach, DanielPowellCo-Executive Producer: Ali Herting
ShōgunCreators/Executive Producers: Rachel Kondo, Justin MarksExecutive Producers: Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca, Michaela ClavellCo-Executive Producers: Shannon Goss, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIESBrian Jordan Alvarez, English TeacherRichard Gadd, Baby ReindeerLily Gladstone, Under the BridgeKathryn Hahn, Agatha All AlongCristin Milioti, The PenguinJulianne Moore, Mary & GeorgeHiroyuki Sanada, ShōgunAnna Sawai, ShōgunAndrew Scott, RipleyJulio Torres, Fantasmas
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIESTadanobu Asano, ShōgunEnrico Colantoni, English TeacherBetty Gilpin, Three WomenChloe Guidry, Under the BridgeMoeka Hoshi, ShōgunStephanie Koenig, English TeacherPatti LuPone, Agatha All AlongNava Mau, Baby ReindeerRuth Negga, Presumed InnocentBrian Tee, Expats
BEST BREAKTRHOUGH PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIESJessica Gunning, Baby ReindeerDiarra Kilpatrick, Diarra From DetroitJoe Locke, Agatha All AlongMegan Stott, PenelopeHoa Xuande, The Sympathizer
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
How to Die AloneEnsemble Cast: Melissa DuPrey, Jaylee Hamidi, KeiLyn Durrel Jones, Arkie Kandola, Elle Lorraine, Michelle McLeod, Chris “CP” Powell, Conrad Ricamora, Natasha Rothwell, Jocko Sims