The satirical horror film Get Out was named best feature at this year’s Film Independent Spirit Awards on the eve of this year’s Oscars.
The film, which was made for $4.5m, beat out Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Call Me By Your Name for the top prize. First-time film-maker Jordan Peele was also named best director. “This project didn’t start as a statement, it began as me wanting to make a film in my favorite genre,” Peele said. He finished by addressing the room: “Our truths are the most powerful weapons we have against the lies in this world so keep doing what you’re doing.”
Frances McDormand was named best female lead for playing a grieving mother in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. “This award convention goes on for-fucking-ever,” she said. “Thank you for having me here. I am independent and I am spirited.”
Call Me by Your Name star Timothée Chalamet won the award for best male lead for his performance as a teenager discovering his sexuality during a summer in Italy. “Two years ago I could get away with doing a movie where I had sex with a peach because no one knew who I was but now I have to be a bit more careful,” the 22-year-old joked.
Allison Janney continued her streak of best supporting actress wins for her performance in I, Tonya while Bafta and Golden Globe winner Sam Rockwell picked up best supporting male for playing a racist cop in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. “I’ve been in like 932 independent films,” he said. “I’m very familiar with the phrase micro-budget.”
Greta Gerwig took home the award for best screenplay for her semi-autobiographical comedy Lady Bird. “I’ve always wanted to be a writer and I’m truly so grateful and shocked,” she said. Dark Instagram satire Ingrid Goes West won best first feature, Faces Places was named best documentary and Chilean drama A Fantastic Woman picked up best international film.
The Robert Altman award, handed out to the year’s best director, casting director and ensemble cast, went to second world war-era drama Mudbound. Director Dee Rees paid tribute to her crew before critiquing the practice of handing out awards. “Nothing diminishes or enhances the value of the work except the work itself and that’s what we put on screen,” she said.
The year also saw a handful of well-aimed shots at Donald Trump, falling in line with other awards ceremonies under his presidency. While presenting best international film, Salma Hayek said: “This award had never gone to a shithole nation because there are no shithole nations.”
Ava DuVernay introduced a new category entitled the Bonnie award aimed at rewarding the work of a female film-maker whose career shows promise at an early stage. The inaugural winner was Chloé Zhao, whose acclaimed drama The Rider was also nominated for four awards.
Last year’s hosts Nick Kroll and John Mulaney returned and started with a review of a year filled with accusations of sexual abuse in Hollywood. “Last year everyone famous died,” Mulaney said. “This year everyone famous wishes they were dead.”
The pair regaled the audience with stories about Harvey Weinstein and Brett Ratner before debating whether it was possible to separate the art from the artist. Mulaney joked that it will now be hard to enjoy Woody Allen’s “last 20 unwatchable movies”.
Last year saw Moonlight win six awards, including best feature. The ceremony arrives on the eve of this year’s Oscars, where Get Out is up for four awards, including best picture.
Best feature
Get Out
Best male lead
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name
Best female lead
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best supporting male
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best supporting female
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Best director
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Best screenplay
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Best documentary
Faces Places
Best international film
A Fantastic Woman
Best editing
Tatiana S Riegel, I, Tonya
Best first feature
Ingrid Goes West
Best first screenplay
Emily V Gordon and Kumail Nunjiani, The Big Sick
Robert Altman award
Mudbound
John Cassavetes award
Life and Nothing More
The Bonnie award
Chloé Zhao
Someone to watch award
Justin Chon, Gook
Truer than fiction award
Jonathan Olshefski, Quest
Piaget producers award
Summer Shelton
