Everything Everywhere sweeps Independent Spirit Awards - BBC

Daniel Kwan speaks after receiving the Best Feature award

By Chelsea Bailey

BBC News, Washington

Everything Everywhere All at Once swept the Independent Spirit Awards Saturday, taking home wins in nearly every major category and solidifying its Oscar frontrunner status.

The kinetic, multiverse-spanning, family opus won numerous awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Editing.

Comedian Hasan Minhaj hosted the star-studded event live from Santa Monica Beach, California. The annual award show honours the best in independent film and television.

This year, for the first time in the award's 37-year history, the best actor categories were all gender neutral.

Minhaj began the night with a hilarious and at times barbed roast of the nominees and the film industry. At one point, he embarrassed actress Cate Blanchett so much she crawled under the table.

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This moment from the #SpiritAwards left me in utter shock. I’m still not over it! pic.twitter.com/Md9DXQPHAb
— Sam Meltzer (@SamTheParasite) March 4, 2023

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Actor Ke Huy Quan took home the first award of the night for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Everything Everywhere.

Quan, who has spent much of his career working behind the scenes, used his speech to praise the often-unsung crewmembers, from the boom operators to stunt coordinators, who make films possible.

Later, Michelle Yeoh won for Best Lead Performance in the film and Stephanie Hsu took off her shoes to run onstage and accept the award for Best Breakthrough Performance.

"This is my first-ever individual award, and it feels incredibly appropriate that it's in this room," Hsu said.

It was also a big night for first-time nominees. Ayo Edebiri won Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series for her role in "The Bear."

Actor Sheryl Lee Ralph, who was also nominated in the same category, later reflected on her how she spent much of her early career begging Hollywood to diversify.

"I stand here tonight having lost best supporting actress in television to Ayo," Ms Ralph said. "I have to honestly say that's what change looks like."

By far one of the most compelling moments of the night was when filmmaker Reid Davenport's won the "Truer than Fiction" Award. Davenport's film, I Didn't See You There, charts his everyday life as someone who navigates the world in a wheelchair due to his disability.

"There are so many disabled artists trying to get into this industry who are not given a chance," Mr Davenport said. "I ask you humbly to let them in. It's time." Davenport said.