Spirit Awards: ‘Train Dreams’ Director Clint Bentley Credits Films for “Putting Goodness Into the World” While It “Feels Like It’s On Fire”

Bentley won the best director award at the awards show on Sunday. Clint Bentley accepts the best director award for 'Train Dreams' onstage during the 2026 Spirit Awards. Kevin Winter/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Following his win for best director at the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards on Sunday, Train Dreams director and co-writer Clint Bentley said that film can put some “goodness into the world” while it may feel like “it’s on fire.” “I’ve been thinking a lot, I think as we all have, like, what’s the point at times? It can feel as the world is turning upside down, and feels like it’s on fire. It feels kind of meaningless to then get a bunch of people together and be like, ‘Well, you’re going to be the doctor and she’s going to be the cop, and then you’re going to say these words,'” Bentley said on stage. “And yet, in a world where there’s so many people trying to put up walls and put people in cages and divide people, we’re making little communities and we’re putting goodness into the world. And when there’s a lot of people trying to do the opposite, I think that’s worth doing. Who knows where it’ll lead us, but I think it’s worth trying to make the world a little bit better every little step we can.” Related Stories Lifestyle Kumail Nanjiani Jokes He's a "White Guy" at Spirit Awards, "Eating Erewhon for Lunch and Dinner" Movies Spirit Awards: 'Lurker' Director Alex Russell Likens Indie Film Risk to 'Ratatouille' Scene After Best First Screenplay Win Train Dreams was co-written by Bentley and Greg Kwedar and stars Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon and William H. Macy. At the Spirit Awards, it was also nominated for best feature (which it won shortly after Bentley’s win), best lead performance (Edgerton) and best cinematography, which it also won. It is also up for four Academy Awards, including best picture. During his acceptance speech, Bentley also thanked the film’s producer for “giving me the courage to take on Denis Johnson’s novel, Edgerton and Kwedar and his wife, both of whom couldn’t be in attendance. Nominees in the best director category were Mary Bronstein for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Lloyd Lee Choi for Lucky Lu, Ira Sachs for Peter Hujar’s Day and Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby. For a full list of winners, click here. You can also see all of the blue carpet arrivals here. Read More About: Awards Clint Bentley film independent spirit awards Independent Spirit Awards spirit awards 2026 Train Dreams THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up More from The Hollywood Reporter spirit awards 2026 Spirit Awards: ‘Lurker’ Director Alex Russell Likens Indie Film Risk to ‘Ratatouille’ Scene After Best First Screenplay Win