The 31st Annual Film Independent Spirit Award Nominations.

I will do a full rundown this weekend, but of course I have some initial thoughts. Carol is the strongest here, and I think the critics will continue its streak. Although, with both Mara and Blanchett getting in here, and both competing for lead at the Globes, the Weinstein's initial plan is getting a bit more complicated. Spotlight grabbed five nods, including the Robert Altman Award, but none of its individual cast members were recognized. Maybe this was intentional, because of the Altman prize, but no Keaton, Ruffalo, or McAdams, all of which are in the running for Oscar nods. Finally, Room got some big nods along the way, but once again missed out for Director and Feature (it missed out at the Gothams too). This has to be troubling for its awards team, because so many folks have it ranked high on their list. Maybe this is just the indie folks going for something like Tangerine instead because it has no shot otherwise, but for a film that is poised to be a huge Oscar contender, its second miss in a row is interesting at least. Finally, while last year's Best Feature nominees featured 4 of 5 that went on to a Best Picture Oscar nod, I have a feeling they are going to diverge a lot more than that this time around, with Tangerine, Beasts of No Nation, and Anomalisa probably not going to make the cut on the other end. Here is the full list of nominees:

Best Feature
Anomalisa
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
Spotlight
Tangerine

Best Director
Sean Baker "Tangerine"
Cary Joji Fukunaga "Beasts of No Nation"
Todd Haynes "Carol"
Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson "Anomalisa"
Tom McCarthy "Spotlight"
David Robert Mitchell "It Follows"

Best Screenplay
Charlie Kaufman "Anomalisa"
Donald Margulies "The End of the Tour"
Phyllis Nagy "Carol"
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer "Spotlight"
S. Craig Zahler "Bone Tomahawk"

Best First Feature
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
James White
Manos Sucias
Mediterranea
Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Best First Screenplay
Jesse Andrews "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Joseph Carpignano "Mediterranea"
Emma Donoghue "Room"
Marielle Heller "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
John Magary, Russell Harbaugh, and Myna Joseph "The Mend"

Best Male Lead
Christopher Abbott "James White"
Abraham Attah "Beasts of No Nation"
Ben Mendelsohn "Mississippi Grind"
Jason Segel "The End of the Tour"
Koudous Seihon "Mediterranea"

Best Female Lead
Cate Blanchett "Carol"
Brie Larson "Room"
Rooney Mara "Carol"
Bel Powley "The Diary of A Teenage Girl"
Kitana Kiki Rodriquez "Tangerine"

Best Supporting Male
Kevin Corrigan "Results"
Paul Dano "Love & Mercy"
Idris Elba "Beasts of No Nation"
Richard Jenkins "Bone Tomahawk"
Michael Shannon "99 Homes"

Best Supporting Female
Robin Bartlett "H."
Marin Ireland "Glass Chin"
Jennifer Jason Leigh "Anomalisa"
Cynthia Nixon "James White"
Mya Taylor "Tangerine"

Best Documentary
(T)error
Heart of Dog
The Look of Silence
Meru
The Russian Woodpecker

Best International Film
Embrace the Serpent (Colombia)
Girlhood (France)
Mustang (France, Turkey)
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Sweden)
Son of Saul (Hungary)

Best Cinematography
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
It Follows
Meadlowland
Songs My Brothers Taught Me

Best Editing
Manos Sucias
Heaven Knows What
It Follows
Room
Spotlight

John Cassavetes Award (Best Feature Under $500,000)
Advantageous
Christmas, Again
Heaven Knows What
Krisha
Out of My Hand

Robert Altman Award
Spotlight

Kiehl’s Someone to Watch Award
God Bless the Child
King Jack
Songs My Brothers Taught Me

19th Annual Piaget Producers Award
Darren Dean
Mel Eslyn
Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith

The 21st annual Truer Than Fiction Award
Among the Believers
Incorruptible
A Woman Like Me