# 31st Independent Spirit Awards

The 31st Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2015, were presented by Film Independent on February 27, 2016. The nominations were announced on November 24, 2015. The ceremony was hosted by Kate McKinnon and Kumail Nanjiani, and broadcast live on IFC.

## Winners and nominees

| Best Feature | Best Director |
| Spotlight Anomalisa Beasts of No Nation Carol Tangerine | Tom McCarthy – Spotlight Sean Baker – Tangerine Cary Joji Fukunaga – Beasts of No Nation Todd Haynes – Carol Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson – Anomalisa David Robert Mitchell – It Follows |
| Best Male Lead | Best Female Lead |
| Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation as Agu Christopher Abbott – James White as James White Ben Mendelsohn – Mississippi Grind as Gerry Jason Segel – The End of the Tour as David Foster Wallace Koudous Seihon – Mediterranea as Ayiva | Brie Larson – Room as Joy "Ma" Newsome Cate Blanchett – Carol as Carol Aird Rooney Mara – Carol as Therese Belivet Bel Powley – The Diary of a Teenage Girl as Minnie Goetze Kitana Kiki Rodriguez – Tangerine as Sin-Dee Rella |
| Best Supporting Male | Best Supporting Female |
| Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation as Commandant Kevin Corrigan – Results as Danny Paul Dano – Love & Mercy as Brian - Past Richard Jenkins – Bone Tomahawk as Deputy Chicory Michael Shannon – 99 Homes as Rick Carver | Mya Taylor – Tangerine as Alexandra Robin Bartlett – H. as Helen Marin Ireland – Glass Chin as Ellen Doyle Jennifer Jason Leigh – Anomalisa as Lisa Hesselman Cynthia Nixon – James White as Gail White |
| Best Screenplay | Best First Screenplay |
| Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer – Spotlight Charlie Kaufman – Anomalisa Donald Margulies – The End of the Tour Phyllis Nagy – Carol S. Craig Zahler – Bone Tomahawk | Emma Donoghue – Room Jesse Andrews – Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Jonas Carpignano – Mediterranea Marielle Heller – The Diary of a Teenage Girl John Magary, Russell Harbaugh, and Myna Joseph – The Mend |
| Best First Feature | Best Documentary Feature |
| The Diary of a Teenage Girl James White Manos sucias Mediterranea Songs My Brothers Taught Me | The Look of Silence Best of Enemies Heart of a Dog Meru The Russian Woodpecker (T)error |
| Best Cinematography | Best Editing |
| Edward Lachman – Carol Cary Joji Fukunaga – Beasts of No Nation Mike Gioulakis – It Follows Reed Morano – Meadowland Joshua James Richards – Songs My Brothers Taught Me | Tom McArdle – Spotlight Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie – Heaven Knows What Nathan Nugent – Room Julio C. Perez IV – It Follows Kristan Sprague – Manos sucias |
| Best International Film ||
| Son of Saul (Saul fia) (Hungary) Embrace of the Serpent (El abrazo de la serpiente) (Colombia) Girlhood (Bande de filles) (France) Mustang (France / Germany / Turkey) A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (En duva satt på en gren och funderade på tillvaron) (Sweden) ||

### Films with multiple nominations and awards

Films that received multiple nominations :
| Nominations | Film |
| 6 | Carol |
| 5 | Beasts of No Nation |
| 5 | Tangerine |
| 4 | Anomalisa |
| 4 | It Follows |
| 4 | Spotlight |
| 3 | The Diary of a Teenage Girl |
| 3 | James White |
| 3 | Mediterranea |
| 3 | Room |
| 3 | Songs My Brothers Taught Me |
| 2 | Bone Tomahawk |
| 2 | The End of the Tour |
| 2 | Heaven Knows What |
| 2 | Manos sucias |
Films that won multiple awards :
| Awards | Film |
| 5 | Spotlight |
| 2 | Beasts of No Nation |
| 2 | Room |

## Special awards
### John Cassavetes Award

Krisha
* Advantageous
* Christmas, Again
* Heaven Knows What
* Out of My Hand

### Robert Altman Award

(The award is given to its film director, casting director, and ensemble cast)
* Spotlight – Tom McCarthy, Kerry Barden, Paul Schnee, Michael Cyril Creighton, Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d'Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, and Stanley Tucci

### Kiehl's Someone to Watch Award

Recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl's since 1851.
* Felix Thompson – King Jack
** Robert Machoian and Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck – God Bless the Child
** Chloé Zhao – Songs My Brothers Taught Me

### Piaget Producers Award

Honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.
* Mel Eslyn – Lamb
** Darren Dean – Tangerine
** Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith – It Follows and I'll See You in My Dreams

### Truer than Fiction Award

Presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by LensCrafters.
* Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi – Incorruptible
** Alex Sichel and Elizabeth Giamatti – A Woman Like Me
** Hemal Trivedi and Mohammed Ali Naqvi – Among the Believers