This was my first time voting for the Indie Spirit Awards and I have to say I enjoyed the process. It even led to a now abandoned project (though I did watch all the nominees).
Below are my thoughts on the winners and what my choice would have been.
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
All That’s Left of You
Director: Cherien Dabis
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
Director: Rungano Nyoni
A Poet
Director: Simón Mesa Soto
The Secret Agent
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Sirāt
Director: Oliver Laxe
Winner: The Secret Agent
Who I Voted For: Sirāt
The Secret Agent is a confounding phenomena for me. On the one hand I appreciate its dense story, the period detailing, and some of the sequences, especially the opening scene. On the other hand, the film couldn’t coalesce into a satisfactory experience. Despite the stakes being high, the film felt strangely bereft of tension, with too many disparate elements muddling the story instead of adding to it.
For my choice, I was torn between two fantastic films, Sirāt and On Becoming a Guinea Fowl. Ultimately, I went for the former because it stayed with me more. A truly visceral film, enhanced by the theatrical experience.
BEST EDITING
Ben Leonberg
Good Boy
Carson Lund
Eephus
Fin Oates
Warfare
Sara Shaw
Splitsville
Sofía Subercaseaux
The Testament of Ann Lee
Winner: The Testament of Ann Lee
Who I Voted For: Splitsville
I cannot be mad at Ann Lee winning. The film has exceptional craft, it was the storytelling that was a letdown for me. But the editing deserves the win, especially for the shaking sequences.
But for me, Splitsville, despite having less showy editing work, was the choice. Almost every second of the film’s 100 minute or so running time is an offering at at the altar of the joke gods. The editing makes sure the pace never lags, keeping the joke flow natural.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Alex Ashe
Peter Hujar’s Day
Norm Li
Blue Sun Palace
David J. Thompson
Warfare
Adolpho Veloso
Train Dreams
Nicole Hirsch Whitaker
Dust Bunny
Winner: Train Dreams
Who I Voted For: Train Dreams
I had half a mind to vote for Peter Hujar’s Day, with its gorgeous cinematography in cramped settings and one burst of the setting sun in the balcony sequence. It’s such a buzzkill that the film is about what it is, because the costumes, the makeup, and the cinematography create such compelling visuals. Especially in the balcony sequence I wanted to close my ears and pretend the characters were in a neo-noir a la The Long Goodbye.
But Train Dreams’ cinematography cannot be denied. It’s such a monumental work, wide in its scope and breathtaking in its capturing of the protagonist’s life, whether he is soaring in the skies or sawing a log.
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Liz Larsen
The Baltimorons
Misha Osherovich
She’s the He
Kayo Martin
The Plague
SZA
One of Them Days
Tabatha Zimiga
East of Wall
Winner: Kayo Martin – The Plague
Who I Voted For: Kayo Martin – The Plague
I only changed my vote at the last moment. I had Liz Larsen penned in ever since I saw The Baltimorons. She gives a kind, warm, sometimes funny, sometimes motherly performance.
I also thought her film was better than Martin’s, which I thought was too indecisive and repetitive to leave a mark. But Martin had impressed me whatever opinion I had of the film and his performance only grew in my estimation. He plays the bully perfectly, combining the straight-faced bluntness of a child with a cruelty that is far beyond his age.
I thought he had no chance of winning. I thought the star power of SZA would triumph (she’s good too, to be fair). But this is the spirit awards, and for me, the best performance won.
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
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
Winner: Naomi Ackie – Sorry, Baby
Who I Voted For: Zoey Deutch – Nouvelle Vague
I loved Sorry, Baby and I have no problems with Ackie winning. It’s just I think there were more commanding performances and ones more integral to the films elsewhere.
Nouvelle Vague was the very last nominee I watched and until then I had Hoss as my winner. But Deutch is so radiant in Linklater’s film I had to give it to her. She’s funny when mocking Godard, glamorous when playing the Hollywood starlet, cute when complaining about the lack of lines, and a doll when falling for Belmondo.
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
Winner: Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Who I Voted For: Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
I mean, it’s a generational performance, and my fellow voters agree. What’s more to say?
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Andrew DeYoung
Friendship
Elena Oxman
Outerlands
Alex Russell
Lurker
Syreeta Singleton
One of Them Days
Constance Tsang
Blue Sun Palace
Winner: Lurker
Who I Voted For: Friendship
Slim pickings in this category. But Lurker might still be the worst film on here. It’s just a shit Saltburn, but Saltburn itself was shit, so this is like an added layer of shit.
Friendship was a much better film about a man trying everything in his reach to remain friends with a much cooler man. It’s funnier, more awkward, and more unhinged.
Both pale in front of Twinless though.
BEST SCREENPLAY
Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin
Splitsville
Angus MacLachlan
A Little Prayer
James Sweeney
Twinless
Christian Swegal
Sovereign
Eva Victor
Sorry, Baby
Winner: Sorry, Baby
Who I Voted For: Sorry, Baby
An easy decision. This was Victor’s only win of the night and I am glad they got something at least.
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
Winner: Train Dreams
Who I Voted For: If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
It’s disappointing that nobody other than Byrne is getting awards attention for this film. Bronstein’s direction is frantic and heavy, creating the perfect feeling of dread and loneliness. The film feels like a panic attack from moment one and it’s my pick from the nominees.
That said, Train Dreams is not a bad choice at all. I think the opening half hour or so could have been better but that maybe more on the writing.
BEST FIRST FEATURE
Blue Sun Palace
Dust Bunny
East of Wall
Lurker
One of Them Days
Winner: Lurker
Who I Voted For: Dust Bunny
Again, I don’t get the love for Lurker.
I voted for Dust Bunny, which is inventive, clever, funny, thrilling, and fantastical. In short, all you want in a great debut feature.
BEST FEATURE
Peter Hujar’s Day
The Plague
Sorry, Baby
Train Dreams
Twinless
Winner: Train Dreams
Who I Voted For: Sorry, Baby
I mean Train Dreams is the only one also nominated for Best Picture at the Oscar so this tracks. And truth be said, I would love for this film to replicate it’s present success at the Oscars, over the current overpraised frontrunner.
But Sorry, Baby was the best film nominated this year and is just one of the best films of the year, period.
Final Thoughts
I got 4/11 in terms of my choices. But there’s only three I have a problem with, the two wins for Lurker and the international film win for The Secret Agent. But I loved that the Indie Spirits provided a respite from the usual winners that have dominated the awards season.
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