Idris Elba, Mya Taylor, Abraham Attah Win Big in Acting Categories at 2016 Spirit Awards

article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson (@lakinhutcherson)
According to Variety.com, last night at the 2016 Spirit Awards, which celebrate and honor independent films, “Beasts of No Nation” actors Idris Elba and Abraham Attah both won in their respective supporting and leading actor categories.

For the Ghanian Attah, playing the child soldier trained by Elba was his first acting role.  Elba, though not nominated for an Academy Award this year, won the Screen Actors Guild award for his part in “Beasts of No Nation” as well.
Additionally, “Tangerine”‘s Mya Taylor took home the supporting actress award for her performance as a transgender sex worker.  “I came from almost nothing,” a beaming Taylor said from the stage following a standing ovation. “My life did a total 360.”  “Tangerine” was shot entirely on an iPhone by director Sean Baker.
 
A full list of winners (in bold) and nominees follows below:
Best Feature
Anomalisa
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
Spotlight — WINNER
Tangerine
Best Director
Sean Baker, Tangerine
Cary Joji Fukunaga, Beasts of No Nation
Todd Haynes, Carol
Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson, Anomalisa
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight  WINNER
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  WINNER
S. Craig Zahler, Bone Tomahawk
Best First Feature
The Diary of a Teenage Girl  WINNER
James White
Manos Sucias
Mediterranea
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
Best First Screenplay
Jesse Andrews, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Jonas Carpignano, Mediterranea
Emma Donoghue, Room  WINNER
Marielle Heller, The Diary of a Teenage Girl
John Magary, Russell Harbaugh, Myna Joseph, The Mend
Best Male Lead
Christopher Abbott, James White
Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation  WINNER
Ben Mendelsohn, Mississippi Grind
Jason Segel, The End of the Tour
Koudous Seihon, Mediterranea
Best Female Lead
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room  WINNER
Rooney Mara, Carol
Bel Powley, The Diary of A Teenage Girl
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Tangerine
Best Supporting Male
Kevin Corrigan, Results
Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation  WINNER
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  WINNER

Best Documentary
(T)error
Best of Enemies
Heart of a Dog
The Look of Silence WINNER
Meru
The Russian Woodpecker
Best International Film
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
Embrace of the Serpent
Girlhood
Mustang
Son of Saul
Best Cinematography
Beasts of No Nation
Carol  WINNER
It Follows
Meadlowland
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
Best Editing
Heaven Knows What
It Follows
Manos Sucias
Room
Spotlight  WINNER
John Cassavetes Award (Best Feature Under $500,000)
Advantageous
Christmas, Again
Heaven Knows What
Krisha  WINNER
Out of My Hand
Robert Altman Award (Best Ensemble)
Spotlight  WINNER

Kiehl’s Someone to Watch Award
Chloe Zhao
Felix Thompson
Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
Piaget Producers Award 
Darren Dean
Mel Eslyn
Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith