My Spirit Award Ballot

Please welcome guest contributor Chels Eichholz for this preview of the Spirit Awards...

by Chels Eichholz

Anybody with $100 can be a member of Film Independent. Some people join solely for the screeners and the privilege of voting for the Independent Spirit Awards. Others, like myself, are filmmakers that use the other membership perks to help network and get our projects created, and voting is just a fun little cherry on top. The nominees are decided by small juries and winners are decided by all members. The awards will be held tomorrow Thursday, April 22 at 10:00 pm, exclusively on IFC and AMC+.

If you’re looking for a lineup that balances both an independent spirit and Oscar love, look no further. I do prefer when award shows have their own identity and don't try to predict the Academy Awards. The Oscar race itself isn’t a meritocracy, and Film Independent is great at highlighting  unsung gems of the year (along with a few more celebrated Oscar hopefuls). I’ve been a member for a few years now and always make it a point to watch every nominee before voting and this year gave us a great selection.  The categories and my own votes after the jump...

Best Feature

First Cow
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Minari
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Nomadland

I’m perfectly happy with any of these films winning but I’m going to be basic and go with Nomadland. It’s still shocking to me that it’s the Best Picture frontrunner considering how quiet and thoughtful the film actually is and how it doesn’t fit the typical Oscar mold. It captured the general mood of this past year of loneliness and isolation, but still having community beyond what we can see. Plus, this particular awards show has a lovely history with the origins of the film. First Cow and Never Rarely Sometimes Always are close seconds for this vote but Nomadland captured our hearts for a reason. 

My Vote: Nomadland

Best Director

Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
Eliza Hittman, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Kelly Reichardt, First Cow
Chloe Zhao, Nomadland

All of these nominees are excellent and would be worthy winners. I’m a person that likes when Best Feature and Best Director match, and Zhao is director who has been nominated for Spirit Awards several times in the past, and Nomadland feels like something she’s been working towards. 

My vote: Chloe Zhao, Nomadland

Best First Feature

I Carry You With Me
The 40-Year-Old Version
The Sound of Metal
Miss Juneteenth
Nine Days

None of the films in the category feel like a First Feature and this could easily double as the Best Feature category. The Forty-Year-Old Version was my favorite film of 2020 and I wish it was represented in more categories. Radha Blank created something special and I cannot wait to see what she does next. I’m so glad I Carry You With Me and Nine Days got some recognition instead of some bigger titles that could have been placed here. 

My Vote: The Forty-Year-Old Version

Best Female Lead

Nicole Beharie, Miss Juneteenth
Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Sidney Flanigan, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Julia Garner, The Assistant
Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

Actress is always the most stacked category and this year is no different. We’ve got a nice balance of Oscar nominees and more truly independent films. I’ve gone back and forth between Sidney Flanigan and Nicole Beharie on this but I have to follow my heart and toss my love to Beharie. It was lovely seeing this seasoned actress finally get to showcase all of her talents and I hope this leads to more starring roles. 

My Vote: Nicole Beharie, Miss Juneteenth

Best Male Lead

Riz Ahmed, The Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Rob Morgan, Bull
Steven Yeun, Minari
Adarsh Gourav, The White Tiger

Usually Actor categories are pretty uninspired compared to Actress but this year has proved otherwise. Rob Morgan is an beautiful nominee and I hope this brings more eyes to Bull. I will have to go with the performance that moved me the most and that was Chadwick Boseman. He owns the screen from start to finish and leaves you with a broken heart. My only egregious snub is Winston Duke for Nine Days, a beautiful performance that can be seen later this year. 

My Vote: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Best Supporting Female

Alexis Chikaeze, Miss Juneteenth
Han Ye-ri, Minari
Valerie Mahaffey, French Exit
Talia Ryder, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Youn Yuh-jung, Minari

What I’d give for this to be our Best Supporting Actress field at the Oscars. Alexis Chikaeze gives us one of the best young adult performances and should be getting the adoration that a Saoirse Ronan or Jennifer Lawrence got at her age. I’m thrilled to see Ryder and Mahaffey in here for truly supporting performances but it comes down to the women of Minari. It’s tough to choose between them but Han Ye-ri has been overlooked all season for her subtle work, and while I think she could be considered lead, I do think she deserves the recognition. She doesn’t have big emotional moments but the film doesn’t work without her and she’s the person I continue to think about weeks later. 

My Vote: Han Ye-ri, Minari

Best Supporting Male

Colman Domingo, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Orion Lee, First Cow
Paul Raci, Sound of Metal
Glynn Turmann, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Benedict Wong, Nine Days

It’s wonderful to see a supporting category actually filled with supporting actors and each one of them plays such a vital role in their film. This should be a Mean Girls situation where we have a five-way tie but I really want to throw my love behind Benedict Wong’s gorgeous performance in Nine Days. Like his fellow nominees, he’s an incredible workman actor and those are the people I love seeing recognized. His dynamic with Winston Duke makes the film and I want to see him in more projects like this and leading roles. 

My Vote: Benedict Wong, Nine Days

Best Screenplay

Bad Education
Minari
The Half of It
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Promising Young Woman

Alice Wu writes the best queer stories about queer Asian women and I never have to worry about horrible things happening to the protagonist and they are always stories that feel perfectly catered to my sensibility. They are the films I needed as a teenager and ones I revisit often, and I cannot wait to see what she makes next. The Half of It should have more nominations and film audiences and the industry need to start valuing coming-of-age stories that aren’t from or about white people. 

My Vote: Alice Wu, The Half of It

Best First Screenplay

Kitty Green, The Assistant
Noah Hutton, Lapsis
Channing Godfrey Peoples, Miss Juneteenth
Andy Siara, Palm Springs
James Sweeney, Straight Up

This was the most difficult category to choose because there are so many incredible films and comparing them goes beyond apples and oranges. All of them are worthy of your eyes but it came down to my beloved Miss Juneteenth and The Assistant, which is a great indictment of the film industry. I want to spread the wealth with my ballot and I love how bold The Assistant is with its subtle calling out of the industry. 

My Vote: Kitty Green, The Assistant

Best Cinematography

Jay Keitel, She Dies Tomorrow
Shabier Kirchner, Bull
Michael Latham, The Assistant
Hélène Louvart, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Joshua James Richards, Nomadland

So many great choices and all of these films have a unique quality. Bull is particularly stunning and obviously Nomadland had their work cutout for them with all the gorgeous landscapes. My heart goes with Louvart and Never Rarely Sometimes Always. From the moment the film began, I knew it was shot on film and I was constantly impressed with long shots and how they made New York look different than what viewers were used to seeing in film. 

My Vote: Hélène Louvart, Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Best Editing

I Carry You With Me
The Invisible Man
Residue
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Nomadland

I always love when a director is able to edit themselves and not be precious about their material. Everything felt like it was building the story and knowing how hard it is to match all those outdoor shots with different lighting made this an incredible feat. I was more impressed with the Visual Effects of The Invisible Man more than I was the actual art of editing. 

My Vote: Nomadland

Best Documentary

Collective
Crip Camp
Dick Johnson Is Dead
Time
The Mole Agent

Again, this could be a Best Feature category. These documentaries are astounding pieces of work and really captivated me more than most narrative features. Time really came close to getting my vote and I cannot wait to see what director Garrett Bradley does next.  I’m a big Kirsten Johnson fan and  I’m so impressed with how she managed to conceive and execute this personal piece. 

My Vote: Dick Johnson Is Dead

Best International Film

Bacurau
The Disciple
Night of the Kings
Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time
Quo Vadis, Aida?”

Would not recommend watching all five of these films consecutively if you want to sleep well. Each tackles interesting and sometimes difficult material. Bacurau and Night of the Kings in particular left deep impressions and it really comes down to the technical aspects of filmmaking. Both are impressive in different ways but I admire Bacurau’s balancing act. 

My Vote: Bacurau

Best Scripted Series

I May Destroy You
Little America
Small Axe
A Teacher
Unorthodox

This is the first year the ceremony is honoring television and it makes voting a little more interesting. Most programs like Small Axe submitted a single episode, so I’m being asked to judge Mangrove against the finales of I May Destroy You and Unorthodox, two shows I’ve seen in their entirety and loved. On the other hand, Little America submitted three episodes, and it was a program I hadn’t seen before and came to love. Ultimately, I’m going to have to go with my gut and vote for the girl I’ve been banging the drum for all year and give it to the best thing I watched all year in film or television. Michaela Coel deserves the world. 

My Vote: I May Destroy You

Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series

Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children
City So Real
Immigration Nation
Love Fraud
We’re Here

I’m a big Drag Race fan, so it really isn’t fair to the other programs that We’re Here gives me everything I want in a reality show. There’s some interesting topics and ideas covered in the other nominees and I’m glad they’re being highlighted alongside one of my favorite shows of 2020.

My Vote: We’re Here 

Best Female Performance in a Scripted Series

Elle Fanning, The Great
Shira Haas, Unorthodox
Abby McEnany, Work in Progress
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Never Have I Ever
Jordan Kristine Seamón, We Are Who We Are

It’s hard to compare all these performances because all these women are tasked with such interesting and different material. I’m a comedy gal though and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is a rare young performer that nails the funny and brings so much depth to this young girl dealing with grief, navigating school and her Indian identity, and her relationship with her mother after her father passes away. 

My Vote: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Never Have I Ever

Best Male Performance in a Scripted Series

Conphidance, Little America
Adam Ali, Little America
Nicco Annan, P-Valley
Amit Rahav, Unorthodox
Harold Torres, Zero, Zero, Zero

This is a category of discoveries and highlights many shows and performances that have gone underrecognized by most other organizations. P-Valley is a show I really want to advocate for and creator Katori Hall gives Nicco Annan so much material to work with. 

My Vote: Nicco Annan, P-Valley

Who are you rooting for?

Chels Eichholz is a filmmaker, academic, and podcast producer. When she's not editing, you can find her relaxing with Audrey Hepburn and Agnes Varda films. You can listen to her on The Untitled Cinema Gals Project, The Community Rewatch Podcast, and Those Gals Have Moxie. Follow Chels on twitter.

Comments

[A.H.]

Been a member for six years now...my ballot:
Pic: Nomadland
Dir: Emerald Fennell
Actor: Riz Ahmed
Actress: Carey Mulligan
S.Actor: Paul Raci
S.Actress: Yuh-Jung Youn (Yeri Han has a leading role)
Screenplay: PYW
1st Screenplay: The Assistant
1st Feature: Sound of Metal
Editing & Cinematography: Nomadland
Doc: Time
International: Night of the Kings
Scripted Series: I may destroy You
New non scripted: ATL’s missing children...
Female TV: Shira Haas
Male TV: Amit Rahav

[Kelly Garrett]

Love voting in the indie spirits! Definitely showed the love for 40-Year Old Version in first feature w my vote.

[James]

Been a member for two years

My ballot:
Picture: Nomadland
Director: Chloe Zhao
Screenplay: Minari
Cinematography: Nomadland
Editing: Nomadland

Documentary: Crip Camp
International Film: Bucarau
First Feature: The Sound of Metal
First Screenplay: The Assistant

Male Lead: Chadwick Boseman
Female Lead: Frances McDormand
Supporting Male: Glynn Turman
Supporting Female: Han Ye-ri

Scripted Series: Unorthodox
Female performance in a Scripted Series: Shira Haas
Male Performance in a Scripted Series: Amit Rahav

[Roge]

I’m also a member. I voted...

Feature: FIRST COW
First Feature: MISS JUNETEENTH
Female Lead: Nicole Beharie, MISS JUNETEENTH
Male Lead: Rob Morgan, BULL
Supporting Female: Valerie Mahaffey, FRENCH EXIT
Supporting Male: Orion Lee, FIRST COW
Director: Kelly Reichardt, FIRSR COW
Screenplay, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
First Screenplay: MISS JUNETEENTH
Editing: I CARRY YOU WITH ME
Cinematography: NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS

[Amy Camus]

This is also my 6th year:
Film: Nomadland
Director: Chloe Zhao
Actor: Riz Ahmed
Actress: Viola Davis
Supporting Actor: Paul Raci
Supporting Actress: Yeri Han
Screenplay: Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Cinematography: Nomadland
Editing: Never Rarely Sometimes Always
1st Film: I Carry You with Me
1st Screenplay: The Assistant
International Film: Quo Vadis, Aida
Documentary: Collective
I skipped the tv categories.

[Me]

Han Ye-Ri as supporting is funny. Because, she is somehow less a lead than Yeun?

Yah, uh huh.

[Jonathan]

Orion Lee is not supporting.