It’s becoming increasingly clear that the awards ceremonies delayed way back in 2020 are still going to be seriously hampered due to the pandemic. The Grammy Awards and SAG Awards have already pushed their 2021 dates in hope of safer waters ahead and how the Oscars proceed is still unclear. Still, it was something of a surprise this morning when Film Independent announced that the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards will take place on Thursday, April 22, 2021.
READ MORE: “Nomadland” wins Best Feature and the Audience Award at Gotham Awards
Traditionally, the Spirit Awards occur the day before the Oscars, a Saturday, and usually during the afternoon. This year the Spirits will not only occur on a Thursday but air at 7 PM PT, 10 PM ET. The ceremony will still be broadcast on the Spirit Award’s longtime media partner, IFC, as well as streaming option AMC+.
In a statement, Film Independent President Josh Welsh noted, “The Spirit Awards are a time for us to come together – filmmakers and film lovers alike – and celebrate the movies, shows and performances that have sustained us through these incredibly challenging times. While 2020 left a lot to be desired, it was an amazing year for film and TV. Visual storytellers with powerful and unique voices brought us so much joy and light during these difficult months. We’re thrilled to share our nominations with the world, and I encourage everyone to join Film Independent and vote on the winners.”
Blake Callaway, Executive Director, IFC and SundanceTV, added, “IFC is proud to continue its partnership with Film Independent by bringing the Spirit Awards and the films it champions to audiences across the country. The celebration of independent voices is more important today than ever before, and while we’ll miss the beach in Santa Monica, we still plan on making the Spirit Awards the most fun stop on the awards circuit.”
Although not addressed in the announcement, we’ll assume this change means that IFC and Film Independent do not believe the virus will be under control enough in the Los Angeles area to hold a traditional in-person event with guests and nominees. Considering the event is effectively three months away and the vaccine rollout has been slower than hoped, that’s a safe bet.
Film Independent also announced that Laverne Cox, Barry Jenkins and Olivia Wilde will unveil the 2021 Spirit Award nominations this upcoming Tuesday, Jan 26 at 7 AM PT, 10 AM ET. A reminder that this year’s nominations include television categories for the first time. They include Best New Scripted Series, Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series, Best Male Performance, Best Female Performance, and Best Ensemble Cast.
The 36th Film Independent Spirit Awards will be held on Thursday, April 22 at 7 PM PT, 10 PM ET and broadcast on IFC.