2017 Independent Spirit Awards winners announced
On Saturday evening, the eve of the Oscars, the 32nd Film Independent Spirit Awards winners were announced, with Barry Jenkins’ MOONLIGHT sweeping six awards.
The Independent Spirits ceremony is a nonprofit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and the LA Film Festival and it’s the traditional precursor to the Oscars. It honours films made for less than $20m (£16m).
At the ceremony, accolades were awarded to MOONLIGHT, THE WITCH, OTHER PEOPLE, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, ELLE AND HELL OR HIGH WATERÂ
With the collection of six awards for MOONLIGHT, it confirmed its status as the awards circuit’s second favourite film with six Independent Spirit Awards.
MOONLIGHT was made for $1.5m (£1.2m) over 25 days – but has now recouped $21.5m (£17.3m) at the North American box office. It also has eight Oscar nominations.
Other notable winners at the event include Casey Affleck, who took home yet another Best Actor award for Manchester by the Sea, after sweeping the same award at the Golden Globes and most recently at the BAFTA Awards.
For the first time this award season, Casey Affleck was vocal about his political beliefs, which he shared during his acceptance speech, whilst sporting a shirt he customised himself with the word LOVE emblazoned across the front spelled out in Arabic.
He told the ceremony: “The policies of this administration are abhorrent and they will not last. They’re really un-American.Â
“I know this feels preachy and boring and I’m preaching to the choir but I’m just lending my little voice to the chorus here.”
Isabelle Huppert won Best Actress, again furthering her chances of taking home the Oscars for the same nomination: tonight, however, she goes up against La La Land‘s  Emma Stone, the hot favourite.
Take a look at all of the big winner below:
Key Independent Spirit Awards winners
- Best feature – Moonlight
- Best female lead – Isabelle Huppert, Elle
- Best male lead – Casey Affleck, Manchester By The Sea
- Best supporting female – Molly Shannon, Other People
- Best supporting male – Ben Foster, Hell Or High Water
- Best director – Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
- Best screenplay – Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney, Moonlight
