Independent Spirit Awards 2025: Top Nominees, Surprises, and Trends

The Film Independent Spirit Awards, celebrating their 40th anniversary, have announced their 2025 nominations.

Topping the list are “Anora” and “I Saw The TV Glow” with six nominations each in the film category, while “Shōgun” led TV nominations with five nods.

The ceremony will take place on February 22 in Santa Monica, hosted by Aidy Bryant.

Key Nominees

Best Feature

• Anora
• I Saw The TV Glow
• Nickel Boys
• Sing Sing
• The Substance

Best First Feature

• Dìdi
• In the Summers
• Janet Planet
• The Piano Lesson
• Problemista

Major Trends and Surprises

• Diverse Recognition: 46% of nominees are women, 30% are BIPOC, highlighting efforts towards inclusivity.
• Budget Spectrum: Nominees represent production budgets ranging from $112K to $28M.
• TV Nominees: Big-budget TV series like Shōgun and Baby Reindeer continued to dominate despite budget thresholds applied to films.
• Breakthrough Performances: Newcomers like René Pérez Joglar (In the Summers) and Maisy Stella (My Old Ass) earned nods.

Studio and Distributor Wins

• A24 dominated with 19 nominations.
• NEON and Amazon MGM Studios followed with 7 each.
• FX/Hulu secured 10 TV nods and 13 total when including Disney+.

This year’s nominations underscore the independent film scene’s commitment to storytelling innovation, diversity, and unique visions, promising an exciting awards season ahead.