The 2026 Film Independent Spirit Award nominees were announced on December 3, 2025, celebrating creative independence, original, provocative subject matter, diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision in filmmaking.
Congratulations to the Tisch alumni and former students nominated for an award! This year 23 alumni and former students received 32 nominations projects across 18 categories.
See the full list of nominees here, and the NYU Tisch nominees below.
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Hamnet
Chloé Zhao (Kanbar Institute, Grad Film),
Director, Writer, Executive Producer Best Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Blue Moon
Steven Farneth '07 (MA, Cinema Studies), Executive Producer
Marty Supreme
Ronald Bronstein '96 (BFA, Film and Television), Writer, Producer
No Other Choice
Alexandre Gavras (Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), Producer
Best Motion Picture – Animated
Elio
Julia Cho '01 (MFA, Dramatic Writing), Story
Mike Jones '94 (BFA, Film and Television), Screenplay
Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language
The Voice Of Hind Rajab (Willa)
Jorie Graham '73 (Tisch School of the Arts), Executive Producer
No Other Choice
Alexandre Gavras '91 (BFA, Kanbar Institute, Film & TV), Producer
Best Director – Motion Picture
Hamnet
Chloé Zhao (Kanbar Institute, Grad Film), Director
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Marty Supreme
Ronald Bronstein '96 (BFA, Film and Television), Writer
Hamnet
Chloé Zhao (Kanbar Institute, Grad Film), Writer
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Dream As One” –– Avatar: Fire And Ash
Andrew Watt (Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music), Music By, Lyrics By
“Golden” –– Kpop Demon Hunters
Kim Eun-Jae (EJAE) '14 (BFA, Recorded Music), Lyrics by
Cinematic And Box Office Achievement
Wicked: For Good
Winnie Holzman '83 (MFA, Musical Theatre), Writer, Executive Producer
Avatar: Fire And Ash
Ehren Kruger '93 (BFA, Film and Television), Story, Screenplay
Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture
Jay Kelly
Adam Sandler '88 (BFA, Drama)
Best Television Series – Drama
Slow Horses
Douglas Urbanski '79 (BFA, Drama), Executive Producer
Pluribus
Vince Gilligan '89 (BFA, Film and Television), Director, Creator, Written by, Executive Producer
Gandja Monteiro '07 (BFA, Film and Television), Director
Severance
Dan Erickson '12 (MFA, Dramatic Writing), Executive Producer
The White Lotus
Mark Kamine '92 (MFA, Film and Television), Executive Producer
Best Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Nobody Wants This
Noelle Valdivia '02 (BFA, Dramatic Writing), Co-Executive Producer
Hacks
Jenn Statsky '08 (BFA, Film and Television), Executive Producer
Samantha Riley '18 (MFA, Dramatic Writing), Co-producer, Supervising Producer, Producer
Nobody Wants This
Kristen Bell (Drama), Executive Producer
Best Television Limited Series, Anthology Series Or Motion Picture Made For Television
The Girlfriend
John Zois '08 (BA, Cinema Studies), Executive Producer
Black Mirror
Cristin Milioti (Drama), Executive Producer
Dying For Sex
Leslye A. Headland '03 (BFA, Drama), Executive Producer
All Her Fault
Christine A. Sacani '87 (BFA, Film and Television), Executive Producer
Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Supporting Role On Television
The Morning Show
Billy Crudup '94 (MFA, Grad Acting)
Best Performance By A Male Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Paradise
Sterling K. Brown '01 (MFA, Grad Acting)
Best Performance By A Female Actor In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Nobody Wants This
Kristen Bell (Drama)
The Bear
Ayo Edebiri '17 (BFA, Dramatic Writing)
Best Performance In Stand-Up Comedy On Television
Sarah Silverman: Postmortem
Sarah Silverman (Drama)
*We apologize for any omissions! Please send edits or additions to tsoa.alumni@nyu.edu.