Film Independent Spirit Awards 2026 Host, Date, Complete Nominees List And Streaming Details Revealed

Official Event Date and New Location

The 2026 Spirit Awards marks a notable change for the ceremony, moving to a new date and a new venue. The event will be held on Sunday, February 15, 2026. For years, the awards were held in a tent on Santa Monica Beach. In 2026, the celebration moves to the iconic Hollywood Palladium on Sunset Boulevard.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Spirit Awards to the historic Hollywood Palladium,” said Shawn Davis, Executive Producer of the Film Independent Spirit Awards. “This move represents our continued evolution while staying true to our roots of celebrating fearless independent voices of film and television.”

The Hollywood Palladium is a famous music and event venue that first opened in 1940. It has a long history with Hollywood and even hosted the Spirit Awards once before in 1994.

How to Watch the Spirit Awards Live Stream

For those not attending in person, watching the awards is simple and free. The entire ceremony will be streamed live online.

Streaming Time: The broadcast begins at 2:00 PM Pacific Time (PT) on Sunday, February 15.
Where to Watch: The official live stream will be available on the Film Independent YouTube channel and the IMDb YouTube channel. The show will also be carried across various social media platforms.
Global Access: Audiences around the world can tune in at no cost through these digital channels.

Host Ego Nwodim’s Background and Statement

The announcement of Ego Nwodim as host follows her recent departure from Saturday Night Live after seven seasons. On SNL, she was known for her sharp character work and earned a Critics Choice Award nomination and two NAACP Image Award nominations.

“No stage celebrates the incredible work of these visionary artists and independent creators everywhere quite like the Spirit Awards,” Nwodim said in a statement. “I can’t wait to join Film Independent for an afternoon of fun, laughs and a few surprises.”

Brenda Robinson, the acting president of Film Independent, welcomed Nwodim. “Ego has entertained audiences with her sharp wit and genius comedic timing for many years and we’re excited to make her a part of Film Independent history,” Robinson said.

Complete Nominees List for the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards

The 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards are set to honor a diverse range of independent films and television series. Leading the nominations is the biographical drama Peter Hujar’s Day with five nods, while television series Adolescence, Forever, and Mr Loverman are tied at the top with four nominations each.

The winners will be decided by Film Independent members and revealed at a ceremony hosted by comedian Ego Nwodim on Sunday, February 15, 2026. The event will be streamed live from the Hollywood Palladium.

Film Award Nominees

Best Feature

This award is presented to the producer of the film.

Peter Hujar’s Day
Producers: Jonah Disend, Jordan Drake
The Plague
Producers: Derek Dauchy, Joel Edgerton, Roy Lee, Lucy McKendrick, Steven Schneider, Lizzie Shapiro
Sorry, Baby
Producers: Mark Ceryak, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski
Train Dreams
Producers: Michael Heimler, Will Janowitz, Marissa McMahon, Ashley Schlaifer, Teddy Schwarzman
Twinless
Producers: David Permut, James Sweeney

Best First Feature

This award is presented to the director and producer.

Blue Sun Palace
Director: Constance Tsang
Producers: Sally Sujin Oh, Eli Raskin, Tony Yang
Dust Bunny
Director/Producer: Bryan Fuller
Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee
East of Wall
Director/Producer: Kate Beecroft
Producers: Shannon Moss, Melanie Ramsayer, Lila Yacoub
Lurker
Director: Alex Russell
Producers: Galen Core, Archie Madekwe, Marc Marrie, Charlie McDowell, Francesco Melzi D’Eril, Duncan Montgomery, Alex Orlovsky, Olmo Schnabel, Jack Selby
One of Them Days
Director: Lawrence Lamont
Producers: Deniese Davis, Poppy Hanks, James Lopez, Issa Rae, Sara Rastogi

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

John Cassavetes Award

This award is for the best feature made for under $1,000,000 and is given to the writer, director, and producer.

The Baltimorons
Director/Writer/Producer: Jay Duplass
Writer/Producer: Michael Strassner
Producers: David Bonnett Jr., Drew Langer
Boys Go to Jupiter
Director/Writer: Julian Glander
Eephus
Director/Writer/Producer: Carson Lund
Writer/Producer: Michael Basta
Writer: Nate Fisher
Producers: David Entin, Tyler Taormina
Esta Isla (This Island)
Directors/Writers/Producers: Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones Molina
Writer: Kisha Tikina Burgos
Familiar Touch
Director/Writer/Producer: Sarah Friedland
Producers: Alexandra Byer, Matthew Thurm

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

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 Screenplay

Michael Angelo Covino & Kyle Marvin – Splitsville
Angus MacLachlan – A Little Prayer
James Sweeney – Twinless
Christian Swegal – Sovereign
Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby

Best First Screenplay

Andrew DeYoung – Friendship
Elena Oxman – Outerlands
Alex Russell – Lurker
Syreeta Singleton – One of Them Days
Constance Tsang – Blue Sun Palace

Best Documentary

This award is presented to the director and producer.

Come See Me in the Good Light
Director/Producer: Ryan White
Producers: Jessica Hargrave, Tig Notaro, Stef Willen
Endless Cookie
Director: Peter Scriver
Director/Producer: Seth Scriver
Producers: Dan Bekerman, Alex Ordanis, Jason Ryle, Chris Yurkovich
My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow
Director/Producer: Julia Loktev
The Perfect Neighbor
Director/Producer: Geeta Gandbhir
Producers: Sam Bisbee, Nikon Kwantu, Alisa Payne
The Tale of Silyan
Director/Producer: Tamara Kotevska
Producers: Jean Dakar, Anna Hashmi, Jordanco Petkovski

Best International Film

This award is presented to the director.

All That’s Left of You (Palestine, Jordan, Germany, Cyprus)
Director: Cherien Dabis
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (Zambia, UK, Ireland)
Director: Rungano Nyoni
A Poet (Colombia)
Director: Simón Mesa Soto
The Secret Agent (Brazil)
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Sirāt (Spain)
Director: Oliver Laxe

Other Film Categories

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)
Best Editing: Ben Leonberg (Good Boy), Carson Lund (Eephus), Fin Oates (Warfare), Sara Shaw (Splitsville), Sofía Subercaseaux (The Testament of Ann Lee)
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)
Robert Altman Award (for ensemble casting): The Long Walk
Director: Francis Lawrence
Casting Director: Rich Delia
Ensemble Cast: Judy Greer, Mark Hamill, Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Tut Nyuot, Joshua Odjick, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Garrett Wareing

Television Award Nominees

Best New Scripted Series

Adolescence
Creators/Executive Producers: Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham
Common Side Effects
Creators/Executive Producers: Joe Bennett, Steve Hely
Forever
Creator/Executive Producer: Mara Brock Akil
Mr Loverman
Executive Producers: Lennie James, Hong Khaou, Jo McClellan, Faye Ward, Hannah Farrell, Hannah Price
North of North
Creators/Executive Producers: Stacey Aglok MacDonald, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril

Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series

Citizen Nation
Creator: Bret Sigler
Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time
Executive Producers: Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Ryan Coogler
Pee-wee as Himself
Executive Producers: Matt Wolf, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television
Executive Producers: Issa Rae, Montrel McKay
Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae
Executive Producers: Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow

Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series

Sydney Chandler – Alien Earth
Stephen Graham – Adolescence
Ethan Hawke – The Lowdown
Lennie James – Mr Loverman
Anna Lambe – North of North
Lola Petticrew – Say Nothing
Seth Rogen – The Studio
Lovie Simone – Forever
Michelle Williams – Dying for Sex
Noah Wyle – The Pitt

Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series

Ariyon Bakare – Mr Loverman
Babou Ceesay – Alien: Earth
Sharon D. Clarke – Mr Loverman
Taylor Dearden – The Pitt
Erin Doherty – Adolescence
Stephen McKinley Henderson – A Man on the Inside
Poorna Jagannathan – Deli Boys
Xosha Roquemore – Forever
Jenny Slate – Dying for Sex
Ben Whishaw – Black Doves

Other Television Categories

Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series: Asif Ali (Deli Boys), Wally Baram (Overcompensating), Owen Cooper (Adolescence), Michael Cooper Jr. (Forever), Ernest Kingsley Junior (Washington Black)
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series: Chief of War (Ensemble includes: Charlie Brumbly, Luciane Buchanan, Cliff Curtis, Brandon Finn, Moses Goods, Jason Momoa, Temuera Morrison)

Emerging Filmmaker Awards

These awards include a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Producers Award: Emma Hannaway, Luca Intili, Tony Yang
Someone to Watch Award: Tatti Ribeiro (director of Valentina), Neo Sora (director of Happyend), Annapurna Sriram (director of Fucktoys)
Truer Than Fiction Award: Tony Benna (director of André Is an Idiot), Rajee Samarasinghe (director of Your Touch Makes Others Invisible), Brittany Shyne (director of Seeds)

Event Schedule and Practical Information

For guests attending the awards in person, Film Independent has released a detailed schedule and guide.

11:00 AM PT: Arrivals and cocktails begin.
12:30 PM PT: Lunch is served.
2:00 PM PT: The awards ceremony starts. All guests must be seated by 1:30 PM PT.

The organization has listed partner hotels, including The London West Hollywood and W Hollywood, for out-of-town attendees. The dress code is famously relaxed for the Spirit Awards, with the guideline simply being “Anything goes… Wear what makes you feel your best!”.

The Spirit Awards are the main annual fundraiser for Film Independent, a nonprofit organization. The money raised supports year-round programs that help filmmakers and promote diversity and unique voices in storytelling. The 2026 event is supported by premier sponsor Lavazza Coffee, principal sponsor IMDbPro, and others.

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