‘Endless Cookie,’ ‘Boys Go To Jupiter, ‘Common Side Effects’ Score Independent Spirit Awards Nominations

The 41st Film Independent Spirit Awards has unveiled its 2026 nominees, spotlighting a trio of animation projects alongside the year’s live-action contenders. Winners, chosen by Film Independent members, will be revealed during a livestream on Sunday, February 15, at 2 p.m. PT.

Canadian family-centric doc Endless Cookie is a finalist for best documentary. Directed by half-brothers Peter and Seth Scriver, the film blends surreal animation with personal storytelling as the pair traverses diverse parts of Canada, trading memories that reflect their different cultural backgrounds.

Julian Glander’s microbudget CG gem Boys Go to Jupiter earned a nomination for the John Cassavetes Award, which honors features produced for under $1 million. Glander’s film is an offbeat, pastel-toned coming-of-age story set in suburban Florida. It extends and exemplifies the quirky, lo-fi sensibility for which Glander is best recognized.

Animation is also represented on the television side, with Adult Swim’s Common Side Effects scoring a nomination for best new scripted series. The show follows two friends scrambling to commercialize a miracle mushroom while dodging powerful adversaries, backed by a stacked producing team that includes creators Joe Bennett and Steve Hely. It’s the second standout series from producer Greenstreet, following the cult sci-fi hit Scavengers Reign.

The ceremony will stream across Film Independent and IMDb’s YouTube channels and on Film Independent’s social platforms.

Documentary

Come See Me in the Good Light, Ryan White

Endless Cookie, Peter Scriver, Seth Scriver

My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow, Julia Loktev

The Perfect Neighbor, Geeta Gandbhir

The Tale of Silyan, Tamara Kotevska

John Cassavetes Award – Best feature made for under $1,000,000.

The Baltimorons, Jay Duplass

Boys Go to Jupiter, Julian Glander

Eephus, Carson Lund

Esta Isla (This Island), Cristian Carretero, Lorraine Jones Molina

Familiar Touch, Sarah

New Scripted Series

Adolescence, Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham

Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham

Common Side Effects, Joe Bennett, Steve Hely

Forever, Mara Brock Akil

Mr Loverman

North of North, Stacey Aglok MacDonald, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril