Indie Spirit Awards Names ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ Best Film

By
John Nolan
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It was a huge night for If Beale Street Could Talk at tonight’s Film Independent Spirit Awards. Barry Jenkins’ loving drama won three awards including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress for Regina King.  What this bodes for it and its three Oscar nominations we’ll have to wait a little while to find out, but chances are it won’t receive quite the same reception.

Speaking of the Oscars, they screwed up by not nominating Ethan Hawke for First Reformed, but fortunately, the Spirits awarded him Best Actor.  Glenn Close won Best Actress for The Wife, as I’m predicting she will tomorrow, and the surging Richard E. Grant won Best Supporting Actor for Can You Ever Forgive Me?, which also won Best Screenplay.

The rest of the nominees and winners are below, including a video of Glenn Close’s acceptance speech in which she was immediately upstaged by her dog, Pip.

2019 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS
BEST FEATURE
If Beale Street Could Talk – WINNER
Producers: Dede Gardner, Barry Jenkins, Jeremy Kleiner, Sara Murphy, Adele Romanski
BEST FIRST FEATURE(Award given to the director and producer)
Sorry to Bother You – WINNER
Director: Boots Riley
Producers: Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jonathan Duffy, Charles D. King, George Rush, Forest Whitaker, Kelly Williams
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. (Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.)
En el Séptimo Día – WINNER
Writer/Director/Producer: Jim McKay
Producers: Alex Bach, Lindsey Cordero, Caroline Kaplan, Michael Stipe
BEST DIRECTOR
Barry Jenkins – WINNER
If Beale Street Could Talk
BEST SCREENPLAY
Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty – WINNER
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Bo Burnham – WINNER
Eighth Grade
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Sayombhu Mukdeeprom – WINNER
Suspiria
BEST EDITING
Joe Bini – WINNER
You Were Never Really Here
BEST FEMALE LEAD 
Glenn Close – WINNER
The Wife
BEST MALE LEAD 
Ethan Hawke – WINNER
First Reformed
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE 
Regina King – WINNER 
If Beale Street Could Talk
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Richard E. Grant – WINNER
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast
Suspiria Director: Luca Guadagnino
Casting Directors: Avy Kaufman, Stella Savino
Ensemble Cast: Malgosia Bela, Ingrid Caven, Lutz Ebersdorf, Elena Fokina, Mia Goth, Jessica Harper, Dakota Johnson, Gala Moody, Chloë Grace Moretz, Renée Soutendijk, Tilda Swinton, Sylvie Testud, Angela Winkler
BEST DOCUMENTARY (Award given to the director and producer)
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? – WINNER
Director/Producer: Morgan Neville
Producers: Caryn Capotosto, Nicholas Ma
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
Roma – WINNER Mexico
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
BONNIE AWARD – Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo joined American Airlines in 1973 at age 24, becoming the first female pilot to fly for a major U.S. airline. In her honor, the second Bonnie Award will recognize a mid-career female director with a $50,000 unrestricted grant, sponsored by American Airlines.
Debra Granik – WINNER 


PRODUCERS AWARD – The 22nd annual Producers Award honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Shrihari Sathe – WINNER
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 25th annual Someone to Watch Award recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Alex Moratto – WINNER 
Director of Sócrates
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 24th annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.
Bing Liu – WINNERDirector of Minding the Gap

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