Steve McQueen holds two of the five trophies awarded “12 Years a Slave” at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
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Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” dominated the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday afternoon, winning in five of its seven nominated categories at the last awards season stop before the Oscars.
The acclaimed historical drama earned trophies for director McQueen, supporting actress Lupita Nyong’o, screenwriter John Ridley and cinematographer Sean Bobbitt, before taking the top prize with Best Feature.
Matthew McConaughey continued his awards season dominance with a Best Actor win for his work in “Dallas Buyers Club,” joining co-star and Best Supporting Actor winner Jared Leto in the winner’s circle. And “Blue Jasmine” star Cate Blanchett took home Best Actress, her 37th accolade for her work in the Woody Allen film. And here’s a fun bit of trivia: With McConaughey, Blanchett and Leto considered locks at the Oscars, a win for Nyong’o would make this year the first time that the four major acting categories at both the Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards have aligned.
Host and self-avowed film buff Patton Oswalt handled his duties with aplomb, poking fun at himself as much as the luminaries in attendance. “Ellen DeGeneres is hosting tomorrow, I’m hosting today,” he said, referencing his Oscars counterpart. “We’re in a golden age of awards shows hosted by lesbians — and men who look like them.”
Here are the winners of the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards:
Best Feature: “12 Years a Slave”
Best Director: Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Screenplay: John Ridley, “12 Years a Slave”
Best First Feature: Ryan Coogler, “Fruitvale Station”
Best First Screenplay: Bob Nelson, “Nebraska”
Best Female Lead: Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
Best Male Lead: Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Supporting Female: Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”
Best Supporting Male: Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best Cinematography: “12 Years a Slave”
Best Editing: “Short Term 12”
Best Documentary: “20 Feet From Stardom”
Best International Film: “Blue Is the Warmest Color”
John Cassavetes Award: Chad Hartigan, “This Is Martin Bonner”
