This year at the Directors Close-Up, we’re celebrating the immensely talented nominees of the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The series will consist of nine online sessions taking place over the course of two weeks; January 27-31 at 12:00 pm PT, and February 3-6 at 5:30 pm PT.

Check back regularly for more details, speakers and panelists, and more.
 

Monday, January 27

The Spirit of Independence

12:00 pm PT

Ali Abbasi (The Apprentice)
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance
Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing
RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys
Alonso Ruizpalacios, La Cocina
Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow

Moderated by Jennifer Wilson (Senior Programmer, Film Independent)
 

Tuesday, January 28

Best New Scripted Series

12:00 pm PT

Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer
Diarra Kilpatrick, Diarra From Detroit
Rachel Kondo, Shōgun
Justin Marks, Shōgun
Julio Torres, Fantasmas

Moderated by Wendy Calhoun (Writer/EP; Prodigal Son, Empire)
 

Wednesday, January 29

Best International Film

12:00 pm PT

Agnieszka Holland, Green Border
Guan Hu, Black Dog
Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light
Mike Leigh, Hard Truths
Gints Zilbalodis, Flow

Moderated by Robert Abele (President, Los Angeles Film Critics Association)
 

Thursday, January 30

Best Documentary

12:00 pm PT

Estefania Contreras, Hummingbirds
Silvia Del Carmen Castaños, Hummingbirds
Michael Dweck, Gaucho Gaucho
Johan Grimonprez, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat
Gregory Kershaw, Gaucho Gaucho
Ted Passon, Patrice: The Movie

Moderated by David Wilson (Festival Director, True/False Film Fest)
 

Friday, January 31

Best First Feature

12:00 pm PT

Annie Baker, Janet Planet
Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio, In the Summers
Julio Torres, Problemista
Sean Wang, Didi
Malcolm Washington, The Piano Lesson

Moderated by Shelby Stone (Executive Producer, The Chi)
 

Monday, February 3

John Cassavetes Award

5:30 pm PT

Vera Drew, The People’s Joker
Morrisa Maltz, Jazzy
Kelly O’Sullivan, Ghostlight
Corey Sherman, Big Boys
Shuchi Talati, Girls Will Be Girls
Alex Thompson, Ghostlight

Moderated by Darrien Michele Gipson (Executive Director, SAGindie)
 

Tuesday, February 4

Best New Non-Scripted/Documentary Series

5:30 pm PT

Lauren Greenfield, Social Studies
David Gauvey Herbert, Ren Faire
Pagan Harleman, Photographer
Lance Oppenheim, Ren Faire
Justin Simien, Hollywood Black
Chai Vasarhelyi, Photographer
Johanna Woolford Gibbon, Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color

Moderated by PJ Raval (Director; Who We Become, Call Her Ganda)
 

Wednesday, February 5

Best Screenplay

5:30 pm PT

Scott Beck, Heretic
Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain
Megan Park, My Old Ass
Aaron Schimberg, A Different Man
Bryan Woods, Heretic

Moderated by Daniel Waters (Writer; Heathers, Batman Returns)
 

Thursday, February 6

Best First Screenplay

5:30 pm PT

Joanna Arnow, The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed
Annie Baker, Janet Planet
India Donaldson, Good One
Julio Torres, Problemista
Sean Wang, Didi

Moderated by Ritesh Mehta (Freelance Journalist and Critic, Indiewire)
 

Accessibility

Film Independent is committed to hosting events that are accessible. For inquiries regarding accessibility, or to request an accommodation, please contact us at accessibility@filmindependent.org or 323 556 9305.