Film Independent has announced Kate Berlant and John Early as co-hosts of the 42nd annual Film Independent Spirit Awards, set for Saturday, March 6, 2027, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.
The pairing signals a deliberate pivot. Berlant and Early are longtime collaborators whose work sits at the edge of performance art and comedy: they earned an Emmy nomination for the variety special Would It Kill You to Laugh? and appeared together in the cult series Search Party. Early's directorial debut, Maddie's Secret, also features both.
Film Independent President Juan Devis framed the choice plainly: "Kate and John are two of the funniest, strangest and most brilliantly unpredictable performers working today." In a joint statement, Berlant and Early said, "We've always been obsessed with awards shows, and we're so honored we get to host the coolest one."
The 2027 ceremony introduces two new categories: Best International First Feature and Digital Creator Award. Filmmaker Roman Coppola joins as a creative consultant, contributing to a production that Film Independent is positioning as a formal departure from recent ceremonies.
Nominations will be announced on December 2. The ceremony falls eight days before the 99th Academy Awards on March 14, 2027, keeping the Spirit Awards in its traditional position as the last major indie-focused night before Oscar weekend.