Spirit Awards 2024: American Fiction, May December, Past Lives Among Top Nominees

The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations were announced on Tuesday, December 5th, declaring the best independent films and new TV shows in a nominations announcement live stream on Film Independent's YouTube Channel with Joel Kim Booster (2023 Spirit Award nominee for Fire Island) and Natalie Morales (No Hard Feelings).

American Fiction, May December, and Past Lives each garnered five nominations, with all of the films also getting a Best Feature nom. Furthermore, all three received Best Lead Performance, with Past Lives nominated twice for Greta Lee and Teo Yoo's performances. Likewise, American Fiction received double nominations in the Best Supporting Performance category alongside Charles Melton, who recently won a Gotham Award for his performance in May December. Amongst the three most nominated films, only Todd Haynes and Celine Song received Best Director noms for May December and Past Lives, respectively.

Outside of the top three, Passages and The Holdovers surprised with four nominations each, with nominations for Franz Rogowski for Best Lead Performance and Da'Vine Joy Randolph for Best Supporting Performance, among many other noms.

On the TV side of things, a big surprise of the nominations was The Last of Us showing up big with four nominations, a show that feels very out of place with a $100 million budget, which is far above the $30 million budget cap for films, and is an adaptation of a video game that has sold 20 million copies as of October 2019. Thankfully, though, this is the only nomination that doesn't fit the "independent" banner, as Boot Riley's Prime Video series starring Jharrel Jerome, I'm a Virgo, tied The Last of Us with four noms with other heavy hitters like Netflix's Beef getting three noms, and Freevee's Jury Duty got two.

As was introduced last year, all acting prizes are now gender-neutral, and the budget cap for films to qualify was raised from $22.5 million to $30 million, besides the John Cassavetes Award, which was increased from $500K to $1 million.

New this year is the Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series, which focuses on honoring actors making themselves known to wider audiences through noteworthy character portrayals.

You can watch the Film Independent Spirit Award nominations announced live below on YouTube, and below is the full list of nominees.

The 39th Film Independent Spirit Awards, hosted by Saturday Night Live alum Aidy Bryant, will occur on Sunday, February 25th, 2024. The in-person show at the beach in Santa Monica will be streamed live on the IMDb and Film Independent YouTube channels and across their social platforms.

The awards ceremony will also pay special tribute to the 30th anniversary of Film Independent’s innovative and influential Artist Development program.

“This year’s exciting group of Spirit Award nominees reflect the undeniable strength and vitality of independent storytelling – this is the beating heart of film culture today. It’s especially thrilling to see so many nominees who have benefited from the support of the Artist Development program. We can’t wait to celebrate the incredible work these artists have created and look forward to everything they have in store for us for years to come.”

- Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent

This year, the Spirit Awards Film Nominating Committees selected nominees from over 27 countries with budget ranges between $10,000 and $28 million, applying the following guidelines in determining nominees: uniqueness of vision, original and provocative subject matter, and economy of means. Of all nominated writers, directors, producers, and technical artists, 40% are women, and 32% are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). Among the nominated performers, 49% are women and 40% are BIPOC. Of all 2024 nominees, 42% are women, and 34% are BIPOC.

If you want to join Film Independent to vote on the Spirit Awards and gain access to the Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominee Screening Room, go to fiilmindependent.org/join by December 18th.

Best Feature (Award given to the producer.)

All of Us Strangers
Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey

American Fiction
Producers: Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, Ben LeClair

May December
Producers: Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon

Passages
Producers: Michel Merkt, Saïd Ben Saïd

Past Lives
Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon

We Grown Now
Producers: Minhal Baig, Joe Pirro

Best First Feature (Award given to director and producer)

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
Director: Raven Jackson
Producers: Maria Altamirano, Mark Ceryak, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski

Chronicles of a Wandering Saint
Director: Tomás Gómez Bustillo
Producers: Gewan Brown, Amanda Freedman

Earth Mama
Director/Producer: Savanah Leaf
Producers: Sam Bisbee, Shirley O’Connor, Medb Riordan, Cody Ryder

A Thousand and One
Director: A.V. Rockwell
Producers: Julia Lebedev, Rishi Rajani, Eddie Vaisman, Lena Waithe, Brad Weston

Upon Entry
Directors: Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastián Vásquez
Producers: Sergio Adrià, Carlos Juárez, Alba Sotorra, Carles Torras, Xosé Zapata

John Cassavetes Award – Given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000 (Award given to the writer, director, and producer)

The Artifice Girl
Director/Writer: Franklin Ritch
Producers: Aaron B. Koontz, Ashleigh Snead

Cadejo Blanco
Director/Writer/Producer: Justin Lerner
Producers: Mauricio Escobar, Ryan Friedkin, Jack Patrick Hurley

Fremont
Director/Writer: Babak Jalali Writer: Carolina Cavalli
Producers: Rachael Fung, Chris Martin, Marjaneh Moghimi, George Rush, Sudnya Shroff, Laura Wagner

Rotting in the Sun
Director/Writer: Sebastián Silva Writer: Pedro Peirano
Producer: Jacob Wasserman

The Unknown Country
Director/Writer/Producer: Morrisa Maltz Writer: Lily Gladstone
Writers/Producers: Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux, Vanara Taing Producers: Katherine Harper, Laura Heberton, Tommy Heitkamp

Best Director

Andrew Haigh
All of Us Strangers

Todd Haynes
May December

William Oldroyd
Eileen

Ira Sachs
Passages

Celine Song
Past Lives

Best Screenplay

David Hemingson
The Holdovers

Cord Jefferson
American Fiction

Laura Moss, Brendan J. O’Brien
Birth/Rebirth

Emma Seligman, Rachel Sennott
Bottoms

Celine Song
Past Lives

Best First Screenplay

Samy Burch; Story by Samy Burch, Alex Mechanik
May December

Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, Ben Platt
Theater Camp

Tomás Gómez Bustillo
Chronicles of a Wandering Saint

Laurel Parmet
The Starling Girl

Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastián Vásquez
Upon Entry

Best Lead Performance

Jessica Chastain
Memory

Greta Lee
Past Lives

Trace Lysette
Monica

Natalie Portman
May December

Judy Reyes
Birth/Rebirth

Franz Rogowski
Passages

Andrew Scott
All of Us Strangers

Teyana Taylor
A Thousand and One

Jeffrey Wright
American Fiction

Teo Yoo
Past Lives

Best Supporting Performance

Erika Alexander
American Fiction

Sterling K. Brown
American Fiction

Noah Galvin
Theater Camp

Anne Hathaway
Eileen

Glenn Howerton
BlackBerry

Marin Ireland
Eileen

Charles Melton
May December

Da’Vine Joy Randolph
The Holdovers

Catalina Saavedra
Rotting in the Sun

Ben Whishaw
Passages

Best Breakthrough Performance

Marshawn Lynch
Bottoms

Atibon Nazaire
Mountains

Tia Nomore
Earth Mama

Dominic Sessa
The Holdovers

Anaita Wali Zada
Fremont

Best Cinematography

Katelin Arizmendi
Monica

Eigil Bryld
The Holdovers

Jomo Fray
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt

Pablo Lozano
Chronicles of a Wandering Saint

Pat Scola
We Grown Now

Best Editing

Santiago Cendejas, Gabriel Díaz, Sofía Subercaseaux
Rotting in the Sun

Stephanie Filo
We Grown Now

Daniel Garber
How to Blow Up a Pipeline

Jon Philpot
Theater Camp

Emanuele Tiziani
Upon Entry

Robert Altman Award – Given to one film’s director, casting director, and ensemble cast

Showing Up
Director: Kelly Reichardt Casting Director: Gayle Keller
Ensemble Cast: André Benjamin, Hong Chau, Judd Hirsch, Heather Lawless, James Le Gros, John Magaro, Matt Malloy, Amanda Plummer, Maryann Plunkett, Denzel Rodriguez, Michelle Williams

Best Documentary (Award given to the director and producer)

Bye Bye Tiberias
Director: Lina Soualem
Producer: Jean-Marie Nizan

Four Daughters
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Producer: Nadim Cheikhrouha

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project
Directors/Producers: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson
Producer: Tommy Oliver

Kokomo City
Director: D. Smith
Producers: Bill Butler, Harris Doran

The Mother of All Lies
Director/Producer: Asmae El Moudir

Best International Film (Award given to the director)

Anatomy of a Fall
France
Director: Justine Triet

Godland
Denmark/Iceland
Director: Hlynur Pálmason

Mami Wata
Nigeria
Director: C.J. ‘Fiery’ Obasi

Tótem
Mexico
Director: Lila Avilés

The Zone of Interest
United Kingdom, Poland, USA
Director: Jonathan Glazer

Producers Award presented by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey – The Producers Award, now in its 27th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality independent films.

Rachael Fung

Graham Swon

Monique Walton

Someone To Watch Award – The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 30th year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.

Joanna Arnow
The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed

Laura Moss
Birth/Rebirth

Monica Sorelle
Mountains

Truer Than Fiction Award – The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 29th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.

Set Hernandez
unseen

Jesse Short Bull, Laura Tomaselli
Lakota Nation vs. United States

Sierra Urich
Joonam

Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series (Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)

Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court
Executive Producers: Vinnie Malhotra, Aaron Saidman, Eli Holzman, Dawn Porter

Dear Mama
Executive Producers: Lasse Järvi, Quincy ‘QD3’ Jones III, Staci Robinson, Nelson George, Charles D. King, Peter Nelson, Adel ‘Future’ Nur, Jamal Joseph, Ted Skillman, Allen Hughes, Steve Berman, Marc Cimino, Jody Gerson, John Janick, Nicholas Ferrall, Nigel Sinclair

Murder in Big Horn
Executive Producers: Matthew Galkin, Vinnie Malhotra
Co-Executive Producers: Lisa Kalikow, Joshua Levine

Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence
Executive Producers: Mindy Goldberg, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Jon Bardin, Zach Heinzerling, Krista Parris, Daniel Barban Levin, Felicia Rosario
Co-Executive Producer: Julie Gaither

Wrestlers
Executive Producers: Greg Whiteley, Ryan O’Dowd
Co-Executive Producers: Alejandro Melendez, Adam Leibowitz

Best New Scripted Series (Award given to the Creator, Executive Producer, Co-Executive Producer)

Beef
Creator/Executive Producer: Lee Sung Jin
Executive Producers: Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Jake Schreier, Ravi Nandan, Alli Reich
Co-Executive Producers: Alice Ju, Carrie Kemper

Dreaming Whilst Black
Creator/Executive Producer: Adjani Salmon Creators: Maximilian Evans, Natasha Jatania, Laura Seixas
Executive Producers: Tanya Qureshi, Dhanny Joshi, Bal Samra, Thomas Stogdon

I’m a Virgo
Creator/Executive Producer: Boots Riley
Executive Producers: Tze Chun, Michael Ellenberg, Lindsey Springer, Jharrel Jerome, Rebecca Rivo
Co-Executive Producers: Marcus Gardley, Carver Karaszewski

Jury Duty
Creators/Executive Producers: Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky
Executive Producers: David Bernad, Ruben Fleischer, Nicholas Hatton, Cody Heller, Todd Schulman, Jake Szymanski, Andrew Weinberg

Slip
Creator/Executive Producer: Zoe Lister-Jones
Executive Producers: Ro Donnelly, Dakota Johnson, Katie O’Connell Marsh, David Fortier, Ivan Schneeberg

Best Lead Performance In A New Scripted Series

Emma Corrin
A Murder at the End of the World

Dominique Fishback
Swarm

Betty Gilpin
Mrs. Davis

Jharrel Jerome
I’m a Virgo

Zoe Lister-Jones
Slip

Bel Powley
A Small Light

Bella Ramsey
The Last of Us

Ramón Rodríguez
Will Trent

Ali Wong
Beef

Steven Yeun
Beef

Best Supporting Performance In A New Scripted Series

Murray Bartlett
The Last of Us

Billie Eilish
Swarm

Jack Farthing
Rain Dogs

Nick Offerman
The Last of Us

Adina Porter
The Changeling

Lewis Pullman
Lessons in Chemistry

Benny Safdie
The Curse

Luke Tennie
Shrinking

Olivia Washington
I’m a Virgo

Jessica Williams
Shrinking

Best Breakthrough Performance In A New Scripted Series

Clark Backo
The Changeling

Aria Mia Loberti
All the Light We Cannot See

Adjani Salmon
Dreaming Whilst Black

Keivonn Montreal Woodard
The Last of Us

Kara Young
I’m a Virgo

Best Ensemble Cast in A New Scripted Series

Jury Duty
Ensemble Cast: Alan Barinholtz, Susan Berger, Cassandra Blair, David Brown, Kirk Fox, Ross Kimball, Pramode Kumar, Trisha LaFache, Mekki Leeper, James Marsden, Edy Modica, Kerry O’Neill, Rashida Olayiwola, Whitney Rice, Maria Russell, Ishmel Sahid, Ben Seaward, Ron Song, Evan Williams

What do you think of the nominees? What have you seen? What haven't you seen? What do you think got snubbed? Let me know in the comments or on social media!

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