News

New York-based Visit Films has revealed multiple international deals for its diverse slate of independent films at Hong Kong FilMart, ranging from sci-fi thrillers to music documentaries.

Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s Sundance and Rome drama “Ghostlight” has secured deals with Nikkatsu (Japan), New Cinema (Israel), Cinobo, Eye Film (Benelux), Fabula Films (Turkey) and Sister Distribution (Switzerland). IFC previously acquired U.S. rights to the drama, which follows a grieving construction worker who joins a local production of “Romeo and Juliet.”

Simon Jaquemet’s sci-fi thriller “Electric Child,” which played at the Locarno and Sitges festivals, has been acquired by New People Film for Cis territories. The film follows a father’s extreme measures to help his newborn son by repurposing high-level AI technology from his workplace.

Tribeca comedy “Adult Best Friends” from filmmaker Delaney Buffett has landed a worldwide airlines deal with Anuvu. The film, which centers on...

Some stories come to life beyond the screen to resonate in a powerful way and this is exactly what writer Kelly O’Sullivan has achieved in Ghostlight with an outstanding cast and performances to match.

It is packing more than an emotional punch, it’s more a battering-ram that is unapologetic with O’Sullivan not only on writing duties but also directing alongside Alex Thompson.

And this all comes together through the family trio of Dan (Keith Kupferer), Daisy (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) and Sharon (Tara Mallen). Not only an on-screen family but also in real life which you don’t see often.

To say their natural family chemistry automatically translates to their on-screen dynamic is reductive and is a disservice to the phenomenal performances from each.

Showing as part of the Glasgow Film Festival for its UK premiere, Ghostlight takes you down to the deepest depths of trauma and grief.

This...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Christmas, Every Day (Faye Tsakas)

Rising documentarian Faye Tsakas explores the world of preteen influencers in her newest short film. Shot in rural Alabama, her observational documentary shows how much work influencers Peyton and Leyla put into developing their social media presence from an early age. Their parents assist them throughout, hopeful their help will allow their children to develop passive incomes and avoid a life of boring desk-jobs. Tsakas’ compelling visuals of child starlets filming TikTok dances against bucolic backdrops populated with tractors and livestock reveals how pervasive social media has become in modern times.

Where to Stream: Le Cinéma Club

La Cocina (Alonso Ruizpalacios)

Egos are charred and tempers seared in La Cocina, a kitchen nightmare set in the engine...

Arriving on a busy blue carpet for a gray day at the beach, guests at the 2025 Indie Spirit Awards agreed: It’s time to Make the Movies Messy Again.

Inside the ceremony tent, host Aidy Bryant put it perfectly when she said, “It’s been a great year for film and a bad year for human life.” Hundreds of the most important decision-makers and visionary artists championing creative independence today gathered in Santa Monica, California on Saturday to honor the best in boundary-breaking film and TV.

“Anora” and “Baby Reindeer” won the most categories in several tight races, but the show’s main source of dramatic tension came from the countless news items surrounding a tough awards season. From fraught talk of cultural fascism to economic critiques of the entertainment industry, honorees and their peers predicted an uncertain but fiery future for filmmakers, cast, and crew. The word “messy” came...

Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in ‘Anora’ (Courtesy of Neon)

Anora continues to pick up speed heading into the Oscars, scoring Critics Choice Awards and DGA wins and snagging a Best Feature win at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Anora also captured Best Director (Sean Baker) and Best Lead Performance (Mikey Madison) wins. A Real Pain and Didi each earned two awards during the February 22, 2025 Spirit Awards ceremony hosted by Aidy Bryant.

On the television side, Baby Reindeer dominated with three wins. The critically acclaimed limited series took home the Best Lead Performance (Richard Gadd), Best Supporting Performance (Nava Mau), and Best Breakthrough Performance (Jessica Gunning) wins. Other television winners included Shogun and How to Die Alone.

2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees and Winners

Best Feature

Winner: Anora

Producers: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan

I Saw the TV Glow

Producers: Ali Herting, Sam Intili, Dave McCary,...

The Independent Spirit Awards are an annual award given in the name of independent film, featuring all of the indie films which deserve honor and recognition - celebrating their 40th year. The 2025 winners of the Spirit Awards were announced Saturday evening, in their usual spot in Santa Monica near the beach - one week before the Oscars. The big winner this year is the already celebrated Anora, taking Best Film & Best Director & Best Lead Performance. Sean Baker also recently won the DGA Award for Best Director as well. The other nominations from 2024 included many outstanding indie films many cinephiles have been raving about for years, deserving of some extra time in the spotlight - including Nickel Boys, Sing Sing, I Saw the TV Glow, Cuckoo, Thelma, The Brutalist, Ghostlight, and Didi (which also won a few awards). As usual, a few surprises: I've never heard of Big Boys (a coming-of-age...

Mikey Madison scored another win for Anora.

On Saturday, the 25-year-old actress won the award for best lead performance, film, at the Independent Spirit Awards. While addressing the crowd, she thanked the entire cast and the director, Sean Baker.

“I want to thank Sean Baker. All of this started with you. You are an incredible director, a wonderful friend, incredible chihuahua owner,” she said “I’m so grateful that you came into my life.”

Madison was up against Amy Adams (Nightbitch), Ryan Destiny (The Fire Inside), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), Keith Kupferer (Ghostlight), Demi Moore (The Substance), Hunter Schafer (Cuckoo), Justice Smith (I Saw the TV Glow), June Squibb (Thelma) and Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), who she said she was “honored to be nominated” alongside. Last week, Madison won the BAFTA for best leading actress.

Madison also addressed Baker’s wife and producer on the film, Samantha Quan, for being “the most incredible,...

Film Independent handed out its 2025 Spirit Awards on Saturday afternoon (February 22), in a Santa Monica ceremony that saw Anora claim three prizes for best feature, director Sean Baker, and lead performance Mikey Madison in the gender-neutral category.

Sean Wang’s Didi took two prizes for best first feature and first screenplay, whileGints Zilbalodis’s Latvian animation Flow won international film and No Other Land was named best documentary. A Real Pain also nabbed two awards for screenplay and supporting actor Kieran Culkin.

While it is too late for the Spirit Awards to have any bearing on the Oscars next weekend...

The 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards have wrapped! And now we know, as the full winners list for the Spirit Awards has been revealed, just how much momentum “Anora” has going into the Oscars: a lot. It already got the most Spirits nominations with six, and it ended up winning Best Feature, Best Director for Sean Baker, and Best Lead Performance for Mikey Madison.

Kieran Culkin won Best Supporting Performance for “A Real Pain,” which also won Best Screenplay. “No Other Land” won Best Documentary, and the extraordinary animated film “Flow” won Best International feature.

“Baby Reindeer” collected the most prizes on the TV side with Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series going to Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning won Best Breakthrough Performance in a New Scripted Series, and Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series went to Nava Rau. “Shogun” won Best New Scripted Series.

Host Aidy Bryant...

The best in independent film and new television shows were honored at the 2025 Independent Spirit Awards and we have the full winners list here.

Anora and I Saw the TV Glow led the film nominations with five nods each while Shogun led the television nominations with five nods as well.

In the end, Anora and Baby Reindeer led their respective categories with three wins each!

Make sure to check out the recap of every celeb who attended the event and take a look at our Best Dressed list as well.

Keep reading to find out more…

Scroll down for the full list of winners…

Best Feature

Anora – Winner

Producers: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan

I Saw the TV Glow

Producers: Ali Herting, Sam Intili, Dave McCary, Emma Stone, Sarah Winshall

Nickel Boys

Producers: Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, David Levine

Sing Sing

Producers: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Monique Walton...

The 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards — the top awards event for the independent film and television community — were handed out on Saturday from the beach in Santa Monica, Calif.

The ceremony, hosted by Saturday Night Live vet Aidy Bryant for the second year in the row, was streamed live on the IMDb and Film Independent YouTube channels at 5 pm Et, and across other social platforms.

More from TVLineSAG Awards 2025: The Penguin, Shōgun and Only Murders in the Building Among TV WinnersNAACP Image Awards: Quinta Brunson, Jennifer Hudson and Fight Night Win BigWriters Guild Awards 2025: Shōgun, The Penguin and Hacks...

The 40th annual Independent Spirit Awards took place in Santa Monica on Feb. 22, with Aidy Bryant as host for the second year in a row.

“Anora” was the biggest winner of the day, being named best feature while Sean Baker and Mikey Madison took home individual trophies for best director and lead performance. “Baby Reindeer” also won big, with Richard Gadd, Nava Mau and Jessica Gunning clinching the awards for lead, supporting and breakthrough performance, though “Shogun” won best new scripted series. And Sean Wang’s “Dìdi” clinched both awards in the debut film category: best first feature as well as best first first screenplay.

See the full list of winners below.

Best Feature

“Anora” (Winner)

“I Saw the TV Glow”

“Nickel Boys”

“Sing Sing”

“The Substance”

Best First Feature

“Dìdi” (Winner)

“In the Summers”

“Janet Planet”

“The Piano Lesson”

“Problemista”

John Cassavetes Award – Given to the best feature made...

“Anora” won Best Feature at the the 40th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards, which took place on Saturday afternoon in Santa Monica and was hosted for the second year in a row by Aidy Bryant. “Anora’s” Indie Spirit win follows its recent triumphs at the DGA and PGA awards and boosts its chances for Oscar glory next week. “Anora” also won Best Director for Sean Baker and Best Lead Performance for Mikey Madison. Repeating her victory at the BAFTAs, Madison beat Demi Moore, who had been considered the solid frontrunner.

In many ways, the Indie Spirit Awards followed a pattern it has shown in recent years: Anytime its voters can give a statuette to an Oscar-nominated film or performance, they do. This year’s Spirit nominations included Oscar nominees in seven different categories — and in every one of those categories, the Academy-approved entry won.

Aside from the three big wins for “Anora,...

Film Independent handed out its 2025 Spirit Awards on Saturday afternoon (February 22), in a Santa Monica ceremony that saw Anora claim three prizes for best feature, director Sean Baker, and lead actor Mikey Madison in the gender-neutral category.

Sean Wang’s Didi took two prizes for best first feature and first screenplay, while Gints Zilbalodis’s Latvian animation Flow won international film and No Other Land was named best documentary. A Real Pain also nabbed two awards for screenplay and supporting actor Kieran Culkin.

Baker gave an impassioned speech calling for higher upfront fees for independent directors who he said take...

As we gear up for the big afternoon on the beach this Saturday, now’s a great time to get to know your nominees. Hopefully you’ve seen their films, and if you’re a Film Independent member, watched your screeners and voted too. But there’s nothing quite like hearing about the process from the creative minds themselves.

That’s exactly what we did with this year’s Directors Close-Up, where we brought together the nominees from some of the top filmmaking categories, to talk shop. Over two weeks this February, we held Zoom sessions for our members, where these creators tell how exactly they got their projects off the ground, the creative choices they made, and what inspires them.

If you missed them live, we’ve got you covered. Let’s take a look at all the action from this year’s Directors Close-Up:

Spirit Of...

Once considered the most disreputable of screen genres, horror has become so pervasive and popular that it’s not unusual now to see a movie presenting itself as such simply for the sake of commercial insurance. That seems the case with “Rounding,” a well-acted and atmospheric psychological thriller with Namir Smallwood as a medical resident who unravels in his new hospital placement. It’s got enough going on that the shoehorning of horror elements — including an eventual monster — feels gratuitous within a tricky narrative already over-compressed into an hour and a half.

Alex Thompson’s sophomore feature was actually made before last year’s acclaimed “Ghostlight,” though it’s only getting released well after a 2022 Tribeca Festival premiere. Doppelganger is distributing to U.S. theaters and on-demand platforms as of Feb. 14.

Working here sans his usual directing and writing partner Kelly O’Sullivan (though she plays a supporting role), Thompson establishes...

Alex Thompson’s thriller Rounding doesn’t lack for details. Early on, after medical resident James (Namir Smallwood) shuffles between hospital rooms in burgundy scrubs, he releases his nervous energy by jogging through a blanket of snow, making the name of the rural town in which the story is set, Greenville, feel like a knowing joke. When he arrives home, it’s to a cramped basement apartment where the sounds of the upstairs neighbors echo through the ceiling. Would that Rounding’s story were as memorable as those details.

Rounding’s rudderless screenplay, which Thompson co-wrote with his brother Christopher Thompson, casts out in several directions at once, as though hoping that one of them will have a substantial impact on the viewer. James has transferred to Greenville after a breakdown, hoping the rural change of scenery can allow him to get his groove back. But complicating matters is that...

Yes, we’re still in the warming glow of award season, but new movies never stop. Happily there are exciting new films to check out this February, including Cannes winners, cryptocurrency heists, cute little furry creatures, and some psychedelic horror.

Armand

When You Can Watch: February 7

Where You Can Watch: Theaters (Limited)

Director: Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel

Cast: Renate Reinsve, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Øystein Røger

Why We’re Excited: This Norwegian psychological drama premiered at Cannes, earning a Caméra d’Or for first-time feature director Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel (grandson of Ingmar Bergman), pegged as one of ten European filmmakers to watch in 2015 by European Film Promotion. The story was inspired by the character of Elisabeth, Armand’s mother (Reinsve from The Worst Person in the World), who is called into school when her six-year-old threatens his classmate. The confrontation and ensuing revelations invite reflection on the way we form opinions about...

The 2025 Academy Awards race is certainly one of the most contentious and unpredictable in recent memory. While in previous years a frontrunner like “Oppenheimer” or “Everything Everywhere All At Once” announced itself as the clear favorite early on in the award cycle, there is no indication as to what will pull ahead before the ceremony in March. While occasionally there is a firm horse race between two films, such as “The Power of the Dog” and “Coda,” or “Green Book” and “Roma,” there are multiple films this cycle that could end up taking home the top prize.

As with every year, the Academy Awards nominate a variety of films that reflect the state of the industry, some of which are better than others. There are also a great number of niche films that sadly were ignored by the Oscars entirely, such as “I Saw The TV Glow,” “Ghostlight,” “All We Imagine As Light,...

As January wraps up, Hulu is keeping the momentum going with an impressive lineup of new titles next month. Whether you’re into movies, TV shows, or both, there’s plenty to keep you entertained throughout February.

Hulu is starting strong with over 60 new titles arriving on February 1 alone. Some standout additions include Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2, as well as all four seasons of the classic ’90s drama New York Undercover.

Reality TV fans will also have something to look forward to with the season six premiere of The Kardashians.

But as exciting as the new arrivals are, there’s always the bittersweet reality that some beloved titles are leaving. In February, Hulu will only be removing movies, so TV lovers can breathe easy. However, the list of departing films includes some good titles, like Titane (2021) and Spencer (2021), which earned Kristen Stewart an Oscar nomination.

By now we are used to seeing Actors on Actors every awards season, but one aspect of many of the performances that stand out in the best films of 2024 has been seeing actors as actors. Whether it be Golden Globe winners Demi Moore and Sebastian Stan, who in “The Substance” and “A Different Man,” respectively, both play performers whose brains have been tied in knots by society’s perception of their appearance, to “Sing Sing” stars Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin, and “Ghostlight” star Keith Kupferer all giving Independent Spirit Award-nominated turns in films about men who find healing through the craft of acting on stage. Though each applicable film is executed so differently, they do all point to the creative profession being increasingly compelling subject matter.

“People are drawn to actors because there is this mystery around how do you tap into that thing? How do you do it?...

Annually, Rotten Tomatoes hands out Golden Tomatoes to the best-reviewed movies and TV series from the past year.

Previous winners include Oppenheimer, The Last of Us, Top Gun: Maverick, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and House of the Dragon, but Dune: Part Two has reigned supreme this time.

Shōgun largely dominated the TV side, though there were noteworthy wins for both The Penguin and X-Men '97. Unfortunately, neither Deadpool & Wolverine nor Agatha All Along have received any love, even in the newly created "Fan Favorite Movies" category.

The winners and nominees are determined by an adjusted score formula, which is a weighted ranking that compensates for the variation in the number of reviews when comparing movies or TV shows within a specified time frame.

Critics have always had something of a complicated relationship with comic book adaptations, particularly in recent years. However, between this and other televised award shows, it's clear...

Kathryn Bernardo is a very good girl gone bad in Petersen Vargas‘ easy-to-digest revenge thriller shown on Netflix. The Filipino actress who has been dominating the country’s TV- and cinema screens since her childhood delivers her standardly good performance in a role that carries the film. Her very presence already guarantees a large viewership, and so does Dolly De Leon‘s which is something Vargas had most probably calculated on from the beginning. Both women are audience magnets and although their full potential isn’t even required for the two roles, they do shine. It is the clash of these two screen titans that brings back the spirit of the 1980s and briefly resurrects the memories of epic wars between Alexis (Joan Collins) & Cristal (Linda Evans) in “Dynasty”. But for that candle to burn longer, we would need more finely developed dramatic moments and less dramatic tears.

Click on...

Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s deeply moving drama Ghostlight made a splash last year following its Sundance Film Festival premiere and subsequent summer release. Now, one of Thompson’s prior features, the psychological thriller Rounding, which premiered back at Tribeca Festival in 2022, is now finally getting a release next month. Led by Namir Smallwood, Michael Potts, and Never Rarely Sometimes Always star Sidney Flanigan, the new trailer has now arrived ahead of a February 14 theatrical and digital release.

Here’s the synopsis: “After a traumatic incident during his residency, young medical student James Hayman (Namir Smallwood) transfers to a rural hospital for a fresh start. Observing that James is struggling and having difficulty connecting with patients, Dr. Harrison (veteran stage and screen actor Michael Potts) suggests he take a class focused on bedside manner and facilitating deeper relationships with patients. The demons of James’s past begin to catch...

"There's something off... it just doesn't quite add up.." Doppelgänger Releasing has unveiled a new official trailer for an indie horror film called Rounding, which is finally getting a small theatrical + VOD release starting in February 2025. This one first premiered in 2022 at the Tribeca Film Festival and despite a solid festival run, it was never released. In the meantime, director Alex Thompson went on to make Ghostlight which was a big hit from last year's Sundance. After a traumatic incident, a driven young medical resident named Dr. James Hayman transfers to a rural hospital for a fresh start, but the demons of his past start to catch up to him when he becomes consumed by the case of a patient with mysterious symptoms. Described as a "humanist and unconventional genre vision." The film stars Namir Smallwood as Dr. Hayman, with Sidney Flanigan, Michael Potts, Rebecca Spence. This trailer gets really...

“Ghostlight” and “Saint Frances” writer/director Alex Thompson is back onscreen with another festival hit: “Rounding.”

Thompson’s latest psychological thriller stars “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” breakout Sidney Flanigan as an asthma patient who starts to experience mysterious symptoms. Her stay at the hospital intersects with the arrival of young medical student James Hayman (Namir Smallwood), who previously endured a traumatic incident during his residency before transferring to a rural hospital for a fresh start.

Per the official synopsis, “the demons of James’ past begin to catch up with him when he becomes consumed by the case, and his grip on reality starts to slip as his disturbing nightmares, anxiety-fueled speculations, and physical injuries collide with the harsh realities of the world of medicine.”

Michael Potts and Rebecca Spence also star.

“Rounding” premiered at Tribeca 2022, and went on to screen at Rooftop and the Chicago International Film Festival. The film...

Gold House has unveiled its fifth annual Gold List with “Wicked” and “Moana 2” among the films being honored.

The list spotlights the most exceptional achievements in film by Asian Pacific creatives over the past year. It also serves as a guide for awards voters and celebrates a monumental year for Asian Pacific representation in cinema.

Since its launch five years ago, the Gold List has celebrated an emerging tide of increasing representation in film by honoring over 200 Asian Pacific films and creatives, with many proceeding to receive Academy Awards. Among those films are “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” “Minari,” “Rrr,” “Parasite,” “The Boy and the Heron” and “The Elephant Whisperer.”

In a year when Asian Pacific creativity dominated the box office —”Moana 2″ and Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” alone grossed over $1.2 billion globally — the Gold List celebrates these blockbusters alongside “All We Imagine As Light,” “Dìdi” and “Monkey Man.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced on Monday the 207 feature films eligible for Best Picture consideration, two days before voting for the 2025 Oscar nominations begins.

There are 323 feature films eligible for the Academy Awards, but just 207 met the Best Picture competition eligibility requirements.

As stated by the Academy in a press release, “To be eligible for consideration in the general entry categories, under rules implemented for the 97th Academy Awards year, feature films must open in a commercial motion picture theater in at least one of six U.S. metropolitan areas: Los Angeles County; the City of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; and Atlanta, Georgia, between Jan. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2024, and complete a minimum qualifying run of seven consecutive days in the same venue. Feature films must have a running time of more than 40 minutes.”

But Best Picture eligibility is different. Films under consideration...

There are 323 feature films eligible for the upcoming Academy Awards, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday, though a whopping 36% of those – 116 feature films – are not eligible for consideration in the Best Picture category.

The discrepancy between films that have qualified for the top category and films that are eligible in other categories comes either because the filmmakers did not attempt to qualify – likely the case for several documentary, animated or international films. Or because of new eligibility rules that require Best Picture candidates to meet additional benchmarks for diversity and inclusion. This is the second year that Representation and Inclusion Standards (Raise) have been enforced, though they did not appear to disqualify any serious contenders in the category.

Among titles excluded from Best Picture consideration are Andrea Arnold’s “Bird,” starring Barry Keoghan, Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut “Woman of the Year,” Michael Keaton’s directorial debut “Knox Goes Away,...

Chicago – It’s New Year’s Eve, so what better day for a look-back to the 10 Best Films of 2024, a soul search exercise in experiences. How do you break down a hundred and a half films in a year to a 10 in the end? Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Wbgr-fm and Wssr-fm gives it his best shot.

If there was one trend that defined 2024, in my observation, was the perhaps beginning of the end of the superhero genre? The only huge hit was Deadpool & Wolverine ($640M), with Venom: The Last Dance in second ($132M) barely reaching its budget in domestic box office. Madame Web, Kraven The Hunter and Joker: Folie Á Deux were box office duds.

I format my 10 Best to reflect the on-air reviews I do weekly on Wbgr-fm and Wssr-fm and occasional appearances on Missourinet.com. Each of the 10 Best will be in the on-air or audio format for your listening pleasure.

Alexandra Daddario as Rowan Fielding in ‘Mayfair Witches’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Skip Bolen/AMC)

AMC Networks is kicking off 2025 with a January lineup that includes season two of Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches and Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale. Planet Earth: Asia, presented by Sir David Attenborough, premieres in late January on BBC America, and horror fans will be treated to Nick Frost’s Get Away debuting on Shudder on January 10th.

Shudder’s January lineup also includes the body horror Grafted and Dark Match, an action horror with Sara Canning and Steven Ogg.

AMC & AMC+:

Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches Season 2 – Premieres Sunday, January 5 at 9pm Et/Pt

Based on Anne Rice’s Lives of the Mayfair Witches, season two of Mayfair Witches continues the journey of Rowan Mayfair (Alexandra Daddario) after she has unwittingly given birth to the demon Lasher (Jack Huston). She is determined to understand...

The AMC Networks January 2025 schedule has been announced and includes a new season of Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches and AMC’s premiere of Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale; Acorn TV’s new mystery series The Gone; BBC America’s new natural history series exploring Asia; the return of We TV’s hit series Toya & Reginae; and Allblk’s new political thriller Conspirators.

The New Year will also bring exciting film debuts, including IFC Films’ Skincare, starring Elizabeth Banks, comedic slasher Get Away, written by and starring Nick Frost, Shudder’s satirical body horror Grafted, starring Jess Hong, and wrestling-themed action-horror Dark Match, starring Sara Canning and Steven Ogg.

These films, series and more join an extensive catalog of compelling dramas, beloved franchises, popular films, and timely collections on Acorn TV, Allblk, AMC+, BBC America, Hidive, Shudder, Sundance Now, and We TV all month long.

Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches Season...

Visit Films, an independent film sales company is making considerable headway in the global film market. Under Ryan Kampe’s direction, the company has obtained distribution deals for various films, demonstrating the growing international interest in independent filmmaking.

Recent sales have highlighted some outstanding titles. Among them is “Good One,” a gripping backpacker drama by India Donaldson. This film has achieved traction in several key regions, with distributors including Pt Falcon in Indonesia, Big Tree in India, and Gulf Film in the Middle East. Must See Magic has also acquired it in the Cis, Madman Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, and Starcat in Japan. Conic has also secured rights in the United Kingdom and Ireland after recent acquisitions in France and the Benelux.

Another noteworthy title is “Ghostlight,” a drama developed by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thomson that premiered at Sundance. This film has received international notice, with Vendetta...

US sales firm Visit Films has continued to sell widely across its slate, of titles from Cannes, Toronto, SXSW, and Sundance.

India Donaldson’s backpacking drama Good Oneis headed to Indonesia (Pt Falcon), India (Big Tree), the Middle East (Gulf Film), Cis (Must See Magic), Australia-New Zealand (Madman Entertainment) and Japan (Starcat). Previously announced deals closed in France and Benelux and multiple territories are in negotiation, with Conic having acquired for UK-Ireland last week.

Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thomson’s Sundance drama Ghostlight has sold to Australia-New Zealand (Vendetta), Latin America (Encripta), Greece (Cinobo), Japan (Nikkatsu) and worldwide airlines excluding...

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 John Cassavetes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $1 million) Big Boys Ghostlight Girls Will Be Girls Jazzy The People’s Joker Best Director Ali Abbasi

The post Full List of Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.

Best Feature “Anora” (Neon) “Babygirl” (A24) “Challengers” (Amazon MGM Studios) “A Different Man” (A24) — Winner “Nickel Boys” (Amazon MGM Studios) Outstanding Lead Performance Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl” (Roadside Attractions) Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist” (A24) Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing” (A24) — Winner Marianne Jean-Baptiste, “Hard Truths” (Bleecker Street) Nicole Kidman, “Babygirl” (A24) Keith Kupferer, “Ghostlight” (IFC

The post “A Different Man” Wins Big at Gotham Awards: See Full Winners List appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.

Universal’s feature take of the Broadway musical, Wicked, wasn’t only named Best Film of 2024 by the National Board of Review, but the movie was also named Best Director for Jon M. Chu, while its stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are receiving an NBR Spotlight Award for their creative collaboration.

A24 after coming up big earlier this morning at the Independent Spirit Awards with noms for I Saw the TV Glow and Sing Sing, saw wins here with NBR for Babygirl, Nicole Kidman winning Best Actress; and Luca Guadagnino’s Queer winning Best Actor for Daniel Craig.

Winners will be honored at the NBR’s annual awards gala Jan. 7 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The ceremony will be hosted by MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Willie Geist. The group’s awards celebrate excellence in filmmaking and also hand out its signature honors for the NBR Icon Award,...

The blockbuster Broadway adaptation “Wicked” scored the prizes for best film from the National Board of Review, the organization announced on Wednesday. “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu also scooped the best director award and the movie’s stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande will be presented with the NBR Spotlight Award.

In the acting categories, Nicole Kidman won best actress for her bold performance as a New York CEO in “Babygirl” and Elle Fanning took best supporting actress for “A Complete Unknown,” where she plays bohemian artist Sylvie Russo. Both films will open in theaters on Christmas day.

Daniel Craig won best actor for his impassioned role in Luca Guadagnino’s 1950s-set “Queer” and Kieran Culkin, a winner yesterday at the New York Film Critics Circle, scored again here for his performance in Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain.”

The prize for best international film went to Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof...

Mikey Madison as Ani and Mark Eydelshteyn as Ivan in ‘Anora’ (Courtesy of Neon)

Sean Baker’s Anora and Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow lead the Film Independent Spirit Awards 2025 film nominees, with Shōgun topping the list of television nominees. On the film side, Anora and I Saw the TV Glow collected six nominations, followed by Didi with four and Janet Planet, The Apprentice, and Sing Sing with three.

Shōgun scored five Spirit Awards TV nominations, with Baby Reindeer and English Teacher earning four nominations each.

“Since we held our first ceremony in 1985 at a restaurant on La Cienega to last year’s show when viewers around the world joined us at the Santa Monica Beach to celebrate the work of so many artists, Film Independent has continued to support independent filmmakers and enable them to achieve their vision at every stage of their career,” stated Josh Welsh,...

This morning saw the announcements of the 40th edition of the Film Independent Spirit Awards. The big picture nominees include titles like the film festival darling The Substance, as well as Anora, which is getting high accolades for Mikey Madison‘s performance and Sean Baker’s writing and direction. A24 would naturally snag a ton of nominations that total a whopping 19. This beats last year’s 11-nomination count.

The Independent Spirit Awards will be taking place on Saturday, February 22, 2025, and is set to be held at Santa Monica beach. Former Saturday Night Live cast member Aidy Bryant will return as the host. The in-person ceremony will be available to stream live on IMDb and Film Independent YouTube channels, and across other social platforms. You can find the full list of nominations, courtesy of Deadline, below.

Best Feature (Award given to the producer)

Anora

Producers: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan...

Nominations for the 2025 Independent Spirit Awards are in!

The awards show celebrates films budgeted at less than $30 million to produce and must be considered “independent.” There are also TV categories!

For the films, Anora and I Saw the TV Glow got six nominations each. Shogun got the most TV nominations with five total.

The show will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2025, with Aidy Bryant hosting.

Keep reading to find out more…

Scroll down for the full list of nominees…

Best Feature

Anora

Producers: Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan

I Saw the TV Glow

Producers: Ali Herting, Sam Intili, Dave McCary, Emma Stone, Sarah Winshall

Nickel Boys

Producers: Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, David Levine

Sing Sing

Producers: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Monique Walton

The Substance

Producers: Tim Bevan, Coralie Fargeat, Eric Fellner

Best First Feature

Dìdi

Director/Producer: Sean Wang

Producers: Valerie Bush, Carlos López Estrada, Josh Peters...

Sean Baker’s Anora and Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw The TV Glow lead the 2025 Independent Spirit Award nominations with six each.

Both films were nominated in best feature, best director, best lead performance, best supporting performance and the producers award while I Saw The TV Glow also picked up best screenplay.

Sean Wang’s Didilanded four nominations including best first feature and best first screenplay. The Apprentice is up for three awards – best directing, best editing and best lead performance for Sebastian Stan.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Santa Monica on February 22, 2025.

Earlier this week...

“Anora,” the free-wheeling tale of a sex worker who becomes entangled with the family of a Russian oligarch, and “I Saw the TV Glow,” a horror film about two teenagers whose obsession with a show causes them to lose grip on reality, dominated the 2025 Independent Spirit Awards nominations on Wednesday, picking up six nods apiece. Both movies are up for best feature, competing against the body horror film, “The Substance,” as well as “Nickel Boys” and “Sing Sing,” dramas that deal with different aspects of the criminal justice system.

This year the Spirit Awards Film nominating committees said the movies it considered ranged in budget from $112,000 to $28 million. Those budgetary caps don’t apply to the shows that the Spirits recognized, such as “Shōgun,” a lavish historical epic that topped all series with five nominations, including one for best new scripted series. To be eligible, TV shows only have to...

Nominations have been revealed for the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards, which will take place in Los Angeles on February 22. The film nominations were led by “Anora” and “I Saw the TV Glow” with six each. In the television categories, “Shōgun” garnered the most nominations with five, followed closely by “Baby Reindeer” and “English Teacher” with four apiece. Watch the announcement here and see the full list below.

Julio Torres did well here with four nominations across his feature directorial debut “Problemista” and Max series “Fantasmas.” Indies like “Dídi,” “Janet Planet,” “Sing Sing,” “Ghostlight,” “The People’s Joker,” “In the Summers,” “The Substance,” and “Nickel Boys” also had a good day, racking up multiple nominations across the board. Netflix enjoys multiple nods, for “The Piano Lesson” and “His Three Daughters,” two movies poised to enter into the Oscar race.

The 2024 Spirit Award winners were led by “Past Lives,” “The Holdovers,” and “American Fiction,...

The 40th edition of the Film Independent Spirit Awards unveiled nominations this morning, nominating Neon’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anora, A24’s I Saw the TV Glow, Amazon MGM Studios’ Nickel Boys, A24’s Sing Sing and Mubi’s Demi Moore body-swap horror movie The Substance for Best Feature.

Anora and I Saw the TV Glow equally lead all noms with six apiece. The Sean Baker-directed Anora landed Best Feature, Best Lead Performance (Mikey Madison), two Best Supporting Performance noms (Yuri Borisov and Karren Karagulian), Best Director, and the Producers Award.

I Saw the TV Glow, which made its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year, is quite the shocker, busting into the Best Feature category as it arguably hasn’t been on the lips of any awards prognosticator this year. The Jane Schoenbrun-directed-and-written drama horror title follows a teenager who is just trying to make...

The 40th Annual Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced live on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 7:00am Pacific/10:00am Eastern on Film Independent’s YouTube channel. Scroll down for the full list of contenders, and find out who wins during a ceremony hosted by comedian Aidy Bryant on Feb. 22, 2025.

The Spirit Awards honor the best achievements in low-budget American filmmaking and and now breakthrough TV programs as well, as decided by the members of Film Independent. The nominating committees comprised writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, editors, actors, critics, casting directors, film festival programmers and other working film professionals. Winners are chosen by film industry insiders as well as everyday film lovers who pay their yearly dues to be part of Film Independent. Members have access to Film Independent’s exclusive nominee screening room online, as well as a number of awards season experiences including special screenings and Q&As.

Film Independent...

Nominees for the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards — the premiere awards event for the independent film and television community — were announced on Wednesday morning, and FX’s Shōgun led the TV pack with five total contenders.

It was followed closely by Netflix’s Baby Reindeer and FX’s English Teacher, each of which netted four nods.

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Other TV shows earning...

Awards season is chugging right along. Next up are the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which honor the best and brightest in indie cinema and television. To qualify, a film's budget must not exceed $30 million, which means major blockbusters like Wicked and Gladiator II are, obviously, out of the running.

This year,...

The first major awards show of the season has spoken, and the future looks bright for A24 as A Different Man took best feature and Sing Sing top acting honours for Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin at the 34th Gotham Awards on Monday night.

Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anora, which began the night at Cipriani Wall Street in New York with the most nominations on four, went home empty-handed. However Sean Baker’s madcap romantic comedy is expected to figure prominently as awards season continues.

Aaron Schimberg’s dark comedy A Different Man premiered in Sundance and stars Sebastian Stan...

“A Different Man” was named the best independent film of the year at the 2024 Gotham Awards, which took place on Monday night in New York City.

The win for the drama starring Sebastian Stan came as a surprise at the end of a show in which “Nickel Boys” and “Sing Sing” had been the big winners, and in which “Anora” came in with the most nominations but left empty-handed.

In the gender-neutral acting categories, Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin won the lead and supporting awards for “Sing Sing.” Domingo’s category also included Pamela Anderson for “The Last Showgirl,” Nicole Kidman for “Babygirl,” Marianne Jean-Baptiste for “Hard Truths” and Mikey Madison for “Anora,” while Maclin’s included Yura Borisov for “Anora,” Guy Pearce for “The Brutalist,” Kieran Culkin for “A Real Pain” and Danielle Deadwyler for “Nickel Boys.”

“Nickel Boys” star Brandon Wilson won the award for breakthrough actor, while that film’s director,...