Participant Wins 8 Independent Spirit Awards

Participant Media is a part of three films that collectively won eight Film Independent Spirit Awards, a company record.

Spotlight, the true story about The Boston Globe’s coverage of the 2003 Catholic Church sex abuse scandal, won five awards: Best Feature, Best Director (Tom McCarthy), Best Screenplay (Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer) and Best Editing (Tom McArdle).

The film also won the previously announced Robert Altman Award for ensemble cast. The Robert Altman Award is given to the film’s director, casting director, and ensemble cast. McCarthy accepted the award, dedicating it to The Boston Globe investigative journalists.

Best Documentary was awarded to The Look of Silence, Joshua Oppenheimer’s companion to The Act of Killing. The Look of Silence explores the Indonesian genocide and its terrifying legacy from the victim’s point of view, following one man on his search for the truth as he confronts his brother’s killers.

Oppenheimer, producer Signe Byrge Sorensen and Adi Rukun, the subject of the film accepted the award.

“Thank you to our Indonesian crew who have to remain anonymous for their safety but who helped us with The Act of Killing and The Look of Silence,” said Sorensen.

Beasts of No Nation picked up two acting awards. Abraham Attah won for Best Male Lead, and Idris Elba won the award for Best Supporting Male. The drama, written and directed by Cary Fukunaga, tells the gripping tale of Agu (Attah), a child soldier torn from his family to fight in the civil war of an African country.

The three films collectively received 13 nominations. Click here for the complete list of Spirit Awards winners.