The Awardist

Everything to know about the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards — plus, exclusive presenters revealed

By

Published on February 4, 2020 12:00PM EST

Aubrey Plaza — Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Before you hunker down for Sunday’s Oscars, there’s one more major awards show to keep an eye on: the 35th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The Indie Spirits, as they’re often lovingly called, are held the day before the Academy Awards and honor achievements in films made for around $20 million dollars, although the exact budget cutoff has varied slightly over the years.

The show, which is held on the beach in Santa Monica after a cocktail hour and lunch, are more laid back than their awards cousin, but no less star-studded. This year, EW can exclusively confirm that Allison Janney, Beanie Feldstein, Bob Odenkirk, Carrie Brownstein, Don Cheadle, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon M. Chu, Kaitlyn Dever, Laura Dern, Margaret Qualley, Naomi Watts, Nicolas Cage, Noah Jupe, Olivia Wilde, Robert De Niro, Scarlett Johansson, St. Vincent, America Ferrera, Taylor Russell, and Zazie Beetz are all slated to present.

To find out who else will be on hand for the awards and to learn the answers to the rest of your burning questions, read on.

When, where, and how to watch

The Film Independent Spirit Awards will air live on IFC Saturday, Feb. 8, at 5:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. PST.

IFC subscribers can stream the live show on IFC.com, and viewers without access to cable or satellite can also watch the show live on the Film Independent and IFC Twitter pages. An encore presentation of the show will be available to stream Feb. 9 on IFC Films Unlimited on Amazon Prime Video Channels and the AppleTV app.

Catch the Spirit Awards Arrivals presented by American Airlines and hosted by Catt Sadler exclusively on the Film Independent Twitter page starting at 3 p.m. EST/12 p.m. PST.

Who is presenting?

In addition to the stars mentioned above, the following group of previously announced people will also present: Alfre Woodard, Elisabeth Moss, Jim Gaffigan, Joey King, Mindy Kaling, Nick Kroll, Octavia Spencer, and Rachel Brosnahan.

Who is hosting?

For the second year in a row, actress Aubrey Plaza is serving as the day’s host. Last year, things got pretty bonkers, so expect more wild and fun bits from Plaza at this year’s show.

Who is nominated?

Uncut Gems and The Lighthouse are going into the festivities with the most nominations, with five apiece, including the former’s nod for Adam Sandler’s lead performance. A Hidden Life, Clemency, The Farewell, Marriage Story, and Uncut Gems are all battling it out for the top prize, Best Feature. See the full list of nominees.

Can the Indie Spirits tell us anything about this year’s Oscars?

Not likely. The awards are voted for by members of Film Independent, a non-profit organization that anyone dedicated to advancing the profile of independent cinema can join, whereas the Oscars are voted on by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In years where several of the frontrunners for the Oscars are also indie films, the two awards have lined up in the top category: 2017’s Moonlight, 2016’s Spotlight, 2015’s Birdman, and 2014’s 12 Years a Slave all won Best Feature at the Spirits before repeating at the Oscars the next day. This year, however, there is not much overlap in nominees in most of the categories. However, this does mean that independent films that at one time looked like Oscar potentials such as Uncut Gems, The Farewell, Hustlers, Booksmart and Honey Boy, get another chance to shine before this awards season wraps up.