The Film Independent Spirit Awards is delaying its ceremony date due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The awards show was originally set to take place on February 27, 2021.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the awards show, which honors the best in independent film, will now take place on Saturday, April 24, 2021 i.e. the day before the Oscars ceremony (which was re-dated on Monday), per long time tradition. It will also adopt the same extended eligibility window that the Oscars adopted on Monday.
The Spirit Awards was originally scheduled for Feb. 27, 2021.
Josh Welsh, the president of Film Independent, said in a statement, "The Film Independent Spirit Awards will take place on Saturday, April 24, 2021. Additionally, we will recognize films that were released between January 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021 in acknowledgement of the unique challenges the world of cinema, and the world as a whole, is currently experiencing."
Last year, the best feature Spirit Award went to 'The Farewell', which was not even nominated for the best picture Oscar.
But in five of the last 10 years, the winners of the former and the latter have corresponded -- 'The Artist' (2011), '12 Years a Slave' (2013), 'Birdman' (2014), 'Spotlight' (2015) and 'Moonlight' (2016).
( With inputs from ANI )