This Saturday, Film Independent celebrated thirty years of the Independent Spirit Awards with a star-studded ceremony hosted by Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell in the big tent on the beach at Santa Monica. Here’s the list of all the wonderful movies and talented artists who were recognized, and here’s to another great year of independent film!

BEST FEATURE: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole 

BEST DIRECTOR: Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST SCREENPLAY: Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler

BEST FIRST FEATURE: Nightcrawler, Director: Dan Gilroy, Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY: Justin Simien, Dear White People

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD:
Land Ho! Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz & Martha Stephens,Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy

BEST FEMALE LEAD: Julianne Moore, Still Alice

BEST MALE LEAD: Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE: 
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

BEST SUPPORTING MALE: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

BEST EDITING: Tom Cross, Whiplash

BEST DOCUMENTARY: CITIZENFOUR, Director/Producer: Laura Poitras, Producers: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM:
 Ida (Poland), Director: Pawel Pawlikowski

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD: 
Inherent Vice
 Director: Paul Thomas Anderson; 
Casting Director: Cassandra Kulukundis
; Ensemble Cast: Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio Del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Michael Kenneth Williams, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon

SPECIAL DISTINCTION AWARD:
 Foxcatcher 
Director/Producer: Bennett Miller
; Producers: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik
Writers: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
Actors: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum

PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD:
 Chris Ohlson

KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD: H., Directors: Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia

LENSCRAFTERS TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD: The Kill Team, Director: Dan Krauss

Mary Sollosi / Film Independent Blogger