American Honey and Moonlight share most Independent Spirit nominations

Shia LaBeouf (seated centre) is one of three American Honey cast members to be recognised

Coming-of-age dramas American Honey and Moonlight will be the ones to beat at next year's Independent Spirit Awards, having been nominated for six apiece.

Both films are up for the best feature award - as are Chronic, starring Tim Roth, Natalie Portman's biopic Jackie and family drama Manchester by the Sea.

Moonlight, about a black youth growing to adulthood, is also recognised for Barry Jenkins' direction and script.

Roth is up for the best actor prize, as is fellow Briton David Harewood.

The awards, handed out one day before the Oscars each year, are open to films made for less than $20m (£16m).

American Honey, directed by Britain's Andrea Arnold, tells of a teenage runaway who travels across the American Midwest with a band of misfits.

Arnold is recognised in the best director category for her work on the film, which has also received nominations for three of its actors.

House of Cards' Mahershala Ali, pictured holding Alex Hibbert, is one of Moonlight's adult stars

Moonlight, whose lead role is shared by three actors, has not received any nominations in the acting categories.

Yet on 25 February the film will automatically receive the Robert Altman Award, which honours its entire ensemble cast.

Harewood's best actor nomination comes for his role in Free in Deed, a religious drama about a minister who believes he can work miracles.

Other Britons in contention include Ralph Fiennes, who is up for best supporting male for his role in Italian-set drama A Bigger Splash.

The last three best picture winners at the Independent Spirits - Spotlight, Birdman and 12 Years a Slave - all went on to win the best picture Oscar.

Yet this year's nominations omit many of the films considered Academy Award contenders. One of the front runners, Los Angeles-set musical La La Land, was not eligible for Spirit awards consideration.