If awards ceremonies were a family dinner table, the Independent Spirit Awards 2026 would be the cool, artsy cousin. Since 1984, nonprofit arts org Film Independent has been honoring American TV and filmmakers who operate outside the studio system, with an annual awards ceremony that falls between the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards. The 2026 ceremony—the organization’s 41st—will be held on Sunday, February 15 at 5 p.m. ET (the time will be 2 p.m. in Hollywood).
A huge change this year is the ceremony’s location. For years, it’s been held at the Santa Monica pier, but construction for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics bumped it from that spot. Instead, it will be held at the Hollywood Palladium, in the heart of Sunset Boulevard. But other things that set the awards apart remain, such as its gender neutral acting awards and its focus on movies and TV that don’t always get mainstream love. This year’s host, Ego Nwodim, has also promised an edgy show, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “This is my whole thing: Don’t ask permission, ask forgiveness. I didn’t ask permission.”
You can watch the Independent Spirit Awards live on YouTube, on the channels for Film Independent or for IMDB. You can also check out all the looks from the red carpet now, and don’t miss Vanity Fair’s complete coverage of the 2026 awards season.
Read on for all the winners at the 2026 Independent Spirit Awards:
Film categories
Best feature
Peter Hujar’s Day
The Plague
Sorry, Baby
Train Dreams
Twinless
Best first feature
Blue Sun Palace
Dust Bunny
East of Wall
Lurker
One of Them Days
John Cassavetes Award (best feature made for under $1M)
WINNER: Esta Isla (This Island)
The Baltimorons
Boys Go to Jupiter
Eephus
Familiar Touch
Best director
Clint Bentley, Train Dreams
Mary Bronstein, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Lloyd Lee Choi, Lucky Lu
Ira Sachs, Peter Hujar’s Day
Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
Best screenplay
WINNER: Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin, Splitsville
Angus MacLachlan, A Little Prayer
James Sweeney, Twinless
Christian Swegal, Sovereign
Best first screenplay
WINNER: Alex Russell, Lurker
Andrew DeYoung, Friendship
Elena Oxman, Outerlands
Syreeta Singleton, One of Them Days
Constance Tsang, Blue Sun Palace
Best lead performance
Everett Blunck, The Plague
Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Kathleen Chalfant, Familiar Touch
Chang Chen, Lucky Lu
Joel Edgerton, Train Dreams
Dylan O’Brien, Twinless
Keke Palmer, One of Them Days
Théodore Pellerin, Lurker
Tessa Thompson, Hedda
Ben Whishaw, Peter Hujar’s Day
Best supporting performance
WINNER: Naomi Ackie, Sorry, Baby
Zoey Deutch, Nouvelle Vague
Kirsten Dunst, Roofman
Rebecca Hall, Peter Hujar’s Day
Nina Hoss, Hedda
Jane Levy, A Little Prayer
Archie Madekwe, Lurker
Kali Reis, Rebuilding
Jacob Tremblay, Sovereign
Haipeng Xu, Blue Sun Palace
Best breakthrough performance
WINNER: Kayo Martin, The Plague
