Indie Film 'Train Dreams' and TV Series 'Adolescence' Win Big at Spirit Awards

Both Netflix releases take top honors at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The lyrical Denis Johnson adaptation "Train Dreams" won the top film award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, while the TV series "Adolescence" dominated the television categories. Both projects were released on Netflix. Clint Bentley won best director for "Train Dreams", and the show "Adolescence" took home awards for best new scripted series, best actor, best supporting actor, and the breakthrough prize.

Why it matters

The Film Independent Spirit Awards celebrate independent film and television, honoring projects that may not receive the same level of mainstream attention as big-budget Hollywood productions. The wins for "Train Dreams" and "Adolescence" highlight the continued success of Netflix in supporting and distributing independent content, even as the streaming landscape becomes more crowded.

The details

At the ceremony held in Los Angeles, "Train Dreams" director Clint Bentley thanked actor Joel Edgerton for "being the heartbeat of our film." While Edgerton missed out on the top acting prize, which went to Rose Byrne for "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You", the organization's switch to gender-neutral acting categories in 2022 was noted. The TV series "Adolescence" was a big winner, taking home awards for best new scripted series, best actor for Stephen Graham, best supporting actor for Erin Doherty, and the breakthrough prize for Owen Cooper.

  • The Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony took place on Sunday, February 16, 2026 in Los Angeles.

The players

Clint Bentley

The director of the film "Train Dreams", which won the top film award at the ceremony.

Joel Edgerton

The star of "Train Dreams", who was nominated for the top acting prize but did not win.

Rose Byrne

The actress who won the top acting prize for her performance in "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You".

Stephen Graham

The actor who won best actor for his performance in the TV series "Adolescence".

Erin Doherty

The actor who won best supporting actor for their performance in the TV series "Adolescence".

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What they’re saying

“We're so grateful to Netflix. It's very, very hard these days to film in the United States, but it's worth it and we're proud to be able to pull it off.”

— Clint Bentley, Director of "Train Dreams"

“I share this with Mary Bronstein, my writer-director who fought for eight years to get this movie made.”

— Rose Byrne

“I really believe that programming films in the cinemas is more and more a political act.”

— Kleber Mendonça Filho, Director of "The Secret Agent"

What’s next

The winners of the Film Independent Spirit Awards are often seen as precursors to the Oscars, so the results will be closely watched as the Academy Awards approach.

The takeaway

The success of Netflix-released projects like "Train Dreams" and "Adolescence" at the Spirit Awards highlights the continued importance of independent and streaming-driven content, even as the entertainment landscape becomes more dominated by major studios and platforms.