Train Dreams rolls into first place at the Independent Spirit Awards

Train Dreams Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute

It has enjoyed a lot of nominations and not many wins so far this year, but Sunday was the night when the big dream finally came true for Netflix hit Train Dreams, which won Best Picture at the Independent Spirit Awards and also took home the Best Director prize for Clint Bentley. The film, which stars Joel Edgerton as a logger and railroad worker whose life takes him through the rural landscapes of the US at a critical point in its history, has a deep love of place and a quiet rhythm at odds with most of this year's other big name films, and has become an audience favourite.

If Train Dreams spoke to an audience desire for comfort, quite the reverse could be said about Alex Russell's Lurker, which was praised as an outstanding début in both the screenplay and feature categories, with its awkward tale of an obsessive would-be photojournalist who inveigles himself into the life of a young music star.

Those film award winners in full:

Best Picture

• Train Dreams

Best First Feature

• Lurker

John Cassavettes Award

• Esta Isla (This Island)

Best Director

• Clint Bentley, Train Dreams

Best Screenplay

• Sorry, Baby

Best First Screenplay

• Lurker

Best Lead Performance

• Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

Best Supporting Performance

• Naomi Ackie, Sorry, Baby

Breakthrough Performance

• Kayo Martin, The Plague

Best Cinematography

• Train Dreams

Best Editing

• The Testament Of Ann Lee

Best Documentary

• The Perfect Neighbor

Robert Altman Award

• The Long Walk

Best International Film

• The Secret Agent

Producers Award

• Tony Yang

Someone To Watch Award

• Tatti Ribeiro, director of Valentina

Truer Than Fiction Award

• Rajee Samarasinghe, director of Your Touch Makes Others Invisible