Kate Berlant and John Early will host the 2027 Spirit Awards, Film Independent says

Kate Berlant and John Early will host the 42nd Film Independent Spirit Awards, Film Independent said on Wednesday, November 11. The ceremony for independent film and television is on Saturday, March 6, 2027, at the Hollywood Palladium. The announcement also sets a time for the nominations: Film Independent will reveal them on its YouTube channel on Wednesday, December 2, at 7:00 a.m. PT. Our awards season calendar already had both dates. What is new is the choice of hosts, the hour of the nominations and two of the season’s three added awards.

Who the hosts are

Film Independent calls the pair “comedy powerhouses” who have worked together for more than ten years across sketch, comedy and film. Their joint credits include the special Would It Kill You to Laugh and Maddie’s Secret, which Early directed as his first film. On her own, Berlant has appeared in Sorry to Bother You and The Bear and made the comedy special Parmesan. Early appeared in Search Party and has a stand-up special, Now More Than Ever.

We’ve always been obsessed with awards shows, and we’re so honored we get to host the coolest one.

Juan Devis, the president of Film Independent, presented the choice as a break with routine. “If there’s one thing we don’t need, it’s another predictable awards show,” he said. The hosts will work with Roman Coppola, whom Film Independent recently named the show’s creative consultant. Ego Nwodim hosted the 2026 ceremony, which Film Independent says brought the awards back to the Palladium for the first time since 1994.

New awards this season

The first is Best International First Feature. Film Independent’s Spirit Awards FAQ says every eligible international film will still compete for Best International Feature, and those that are directorial debuts will also be considered for the new award. The nominating committee decides which category a first feature goes in, and no film can be nominated in both.

The second is the Robert Redford Environmental Vision Award, run with The Redford Center. It is open to American narrative features and series that put climate or other environmental issues at the center of the story, or whose lead character grapples with them. Film Independent says it will favor work that takes “an entertainment-first approach” to climate stories. The announcement also lists a Digital Creator Award among the season’s additions. The FAQ places that award with the Emerging Filmmaker Awards, for storytellers who make original work for digital-first platforms.

What can be nominated

Film Independent’s FAQ for the 2027 awards sets these limits for films. Submissions are closed. The last film deadline was September 29, with an extension to October 2 for some members.

Committees of working members of the film community choose the nominees, with separate panels for American narrative, international and documentary films. Film Independent staff do not vote on them. Film Independent members choose the winners in most categories and get online screeners of the nominated films and series. The FAQ lists eight awards that the nominating committees pick instead, among them the John Cassavetes, Robert Altman, Robert Redford Environmental Vision and Digital Creator awards.

Last season’s winners

Film Independent’s recap of the 2026 show, held the day after Valentine’s Day, gives Train Dreams three awards. It took Best Feature, Clint Bentley won Best Director and Adolpho Veloso won Best Cinematography. Rose Byrne won Best Lead Performance for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and Kayo Martin won Best Breakthrough Performance for The Plague. The recap says Alex Russell’s first screenplay and first feature “won both those awards,” which we read as Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay for Lurker. By our count, the March 6 date puts the 2027 ceremony 19 days later in the calendar than the 2026 one.