Winners of the Independent Spirit Awards 2026: Train Dreams and Adolescence Dominate

According to CinemaDrame News Agency, the film Train Dreams and the series Adolescence led the 41st annual Independent Spirit Awards. The ceremony was held Sunday night at the Hollywood Palladium, hosted by Ayo Edebiri.

Films nominated for the awards must have been made with budgets under $30 million, and television series must have aired between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.

Film

Best Feature

• Peter Hujar’s Day
• The Plague
• Sorry, Baby
• Train Dreams – Winner
• Twinless

Best Director

• Clint Bentley, Train Dreams – Winner
• Mary Bronstein, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
• Lloyd C. Choi, Lucky Lu
• Ira Sachs, Peter Hujar’s Day
• Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby

Best First Feature

• Blue Sun Palace
• Dust Bunny
• East of Wall
• Lurker – Winner
• One of Them Days

John Cassavetes Award (for films under $500,000)

• Esta Isla – Winner

Best Screenplay

• Sorry, Baby – Winner

Best First Screenplay

• Lurker – Winner

Best Lead Performance

• Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You – Winner

Best Supporting Performance

• Naomi Ackie, Sorry, Baby – Winner

Best Breakthrough Performance

• Kayo Martin, The Plague – Winner

Best Cinematography

• Train Dreams – Winner

Best Editing

• The Testament of Ann Lee – Winner

Robert Altman Award

• The Long Walk
  Director: Francis Lawrence

Best Documentary

• The Perfect Neighbor – Winner

Best International Film

• The Secret Agent – Winner

Emerging Filmmaker Awards

• Producers Award: Tony Yang
• Someone to Watch Award: Tati Ribeiro, Valentina
• Truer Than Fiction Award: Raji Samarasinghe, Your Touch Makes Others Invisible

Television

Best New Scripted Series

• Adolescence – Winner

Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series

• Pee-wee as Himself – Winner

Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series

• Stephen Graham, Adolescence – Winner

Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series

• Erin Doherty, Adolescence – Winner

Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series

• Owen Cooper, Adolescence – Winner

Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series

• Chief of War