CATE BLANCHETT romance “Carol” leads the way at next year’s Independent Spirit Awards with six nominations.

    Blanchett, who plays a housewife in 1950s New York who falls for a younger woman, is up for best actress, as is her co-star, Rooney Mara.

    The film is also nominated for best feature, screenplay, cinematography and best director for Todd Haynes.

    African civil war drama “Beasts of No Nation” and real-life journalism drama “Spotlight” received five nods each.

    British star Idris Elba is nominated for best supporting actor for his role as the ruthless commandant in “Beasts of No Nation,” which is also up for best feature along with “Spotlight,” animated film “Anomalisa” and micro-budget film “Tangerine.”

    Bel Powley is the only other British nominee, recognized in the best actress category for her role in “The Diary of a Teenage Girl.”

    Also in the best actress category is Brie Larson for “Room” — the big screen version of Emma Donoghue’s hit book — and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez for “Tangerine.”

    The best actor prize will be a battle between Abraham Attah for “Beasts of No Nation,” Jason Segel for “The End of the Tour,” Christopher Abbott for “James White,” Koudous Seihon for “Mediterranea” and Ben Mendelsohn for “Mississippi Grind.”

    The Robert Altman Award for best ensemble will be presented to “Spotlight,” which stars Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery and Stanley Tucci.

    The film tells the true story of how the Boston Globe newspaper uncovered a scandal of child abuse within the local Catholic church.

    The winners will be announced Feb. 27 — the day before the Oscars — in a ceremony in a tent on Santa Monica Beach in California. (SD-Agencies)