Ethan Hawke, Rose Byrne, and Keke Palmer are among the prominent actors vying for recognition at the Film Independent Spirit Awards this Sunday in Los Angeles. The event, highlighting achievements in independent film and television, will be hosted by comedian and “Saturday Night Live” alum Ego Nwodim. The ceremony will be available for livestreaming on YouTube, commencing at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
Leading the nominations for the 41st annual awards are Ira Sachs’ “Peter Hujar’s Day,” which features Ben Whishaw in a reenactment of an interview with the iconic 1970s photographer. Also among the top contenders are Clint Bentley’s poignant adaptation of Denis Johnson’s “Train Dreams,” starring Joel Edgerton, and Eva Victor’s “Sorry, Baby,” which explores life in the aftermath of an assault.
This year, the awards ceremony relocates to the Hollywood Palladium, a change prompted by renovations at its traditional venue along the Santa Monica beach. The event also serves as a fundraiser for Film Independent’s year-round initiatives.
While the Spirit Awards sometimes mirror Oscar selections, as was the case with films like “Anora” and “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” they also spotlight unique productions. Eligibility is restricted to films with budgets under $30 million, excluding higher-budget films such as “One Battle After Another” from consideration.
Rose Byrne stands out as one of the few performers nominated for both a Spirit Award and an Oscar, thanks to her compelling role as a distressed mother in Mary Bronstein’s “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” In the lead performance category, she competes alongside Joel Edgerton (“Train Dreams”), Dylan O’Brien (“Twinless”), Keke Palmer (“One of Them Days”), Tessa Thompson (“Hedda”), and Ben Whishaw. Notably, the awards adopted gender-neutral acting categories starting in 2022.
Nominees for supporting performances include Naomi Ackie (“Sorry, Baby”), Zoey Deutch (“Nouvelle Vague”), Kirsten Dunst (“Roofman”), Nina Hoss (“Hedda”), and Archie Madekwe (“Lurker”).
Films nominated in the international category include “Sirāt,”“The Secret Agent” and “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.” “Come See Me in the Good Light,” “My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow” and “The Perfect Neighbor” are also up for the documentary prize.
Hawke, who is nominated for an Oscar for “Blue Moon,” is up for a Spirit Award for his leading performance in the television series “The Lowdown,” where other nominees include Seth Rogen for “The Studio,” Stephen Graham for “Adolescence” and Noah Wyle for “The Pitt.”
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