At the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Feb. 25, a group of protesters interrupted the show by playing a series of prerecorded chants on a megaphone , including free Palestine, long live Palestine and cease-fire now.

Inside the annual ceremony honoring independent filmmakers, held in a beachfront tent in Santa Monica, California, a handful of award winners used their time on the stage to mention the protesters.

There are people speaking outside, and whatever theyre saying, I think its far more important than what Im about to say, director Babak Jalali said while accepting the John Cassavetes Award for the film Fremont, as the chants could be heard in the distance. Im so inspired by what theyre saying outside, I cant think of what Im about to say.

Accepting the Robert Altman Award, Showing Up director Kelly Reichardt recalled the last time she saw the awards namesake, the late director Robert Altman, in 2003.

America was dropping bombs on Iraq at that time, and he was pissed, she said. And I think hed have a lot to say just this weirdness of us being here and celebrating each other and our work, and also, you know, life goes on outside the tent. Peace.

They, along with certain others, have been the exceptions to the rule of remaining mostly silent on the war in Gaza during this years film awards season a silence that will likely continue at Sunday nights Academy Awards.