Awards & Winners

Independent Spirit Award for Best Director

Independent Spirit Awards

The Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Director is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.
Date Established : 1986

Check all the winners of Independent Spirit Award for Best Director presented under Independent Spirit Awards since 1986 .


Michel Hazanavicius

Honored for : The Artist

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Nicolas Winding Refn Drive
Jeff Nichols Take Shelter
Alexander Payne The Descendants
Michel Hazanavicius The Artist
Mike Mills Beginners

Darren Aronofsky

Honored for : Black Swan

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lisa Cholodenko The Kids Are All Right
Debra Granik Winter\u2019s Bone
Danny Boyle 127 Hours
John Cameron Mitchell Rabbit Hole
Darren Aronofsky Black Swan

Lee Daniels

Honored for : Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee Nominated Work
James Gray Two Lovers
Michael Hoffman The Last Station
Ethan Coen A Serious Man
Joel Coen A Serious Man
Lee Daniels Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Cary Fukunaga Sin Nombre

Thomas McCarthy

Honored for : The Visitor

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Lance Hammer Ballast
Ramin Bahrani Chop Shop
Courtney Hunt Frozen River
Jonathan Demme Rachel Getting Married
Thomas McCarthy The Visitor

Julian Schnabel

Honored for : The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julian Schnabel The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Todd Haynes I'm Not There
Tamara Jenkins The Savages
Jason Reitman Juno
Gus Van Sant Paranoid Park

Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Honored for : Little Miss Sunshine

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Altman A Prairie Home Companion
Steven Soderbergh Bubble
Ryan Fleck Half Nelson
Valerie Faris Little Miss Sunshine
Jonathan Dayton Little Miss Sunshine
Karen Moncrieff The Dead Girl

Ang Lee

Honored for : Brokeback Mountain

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ang Lee Brokeback Mountain
George Clooney Good Night, and Good Luck
Gregg Araki Mysterious Skin
Rodrigo García Nine Lives
Noah Baumbach The Squid and the Whale

Alexander Payne

Honored for : Sideways

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Shane Carruth Primer
Mario Van Peebles Baadasssss!
Joshua Marston Maria Full of Grace
Alexander Payne Sideways
Walter Salles The Motorcycle Diaries

Sofia Coppola

Honored for : Lost in Translation

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Shari Springer Berman American Splendor
Robert Pulcini American Splendor
Gus Van Sant Elephant
Jim Sheridan In America
Sofia Coppola Lost in Translation
Peter Sollett Raising Victor Vargas

Todd Haynes

Honored for : Far from Heaven

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Todd Haynes Far from Heaven
Gus Van Sant Gerry
Bernard Rose Ivans Xtc
Nicole Holofcener Lovely & Amazing
Joe Carnahan Narc

Christopher Nolan

Honored for : Memento

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Cameron Mitchell Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Michael Cuesta L.I.E.
Christopher Nolan Memento
Cheryl Dunye Stranger Inside
Richard Linklater Waking Life

Ang Lee

Honored for : Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Julian Schnabel Before Night Falls
Christopher Guest Best in Show
Miguel Arteta Chuck & Buck
Ang Lee Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Darren Aronofsky Requiem for a Dream

Alexander Payne

Honored for : Election

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Alexander Payne Election
Doug Liman Go
Harmony Korine Julien Donkey-Boy
Steven Soderbergh The Limey
David Lynch The Straight Story

Wes Anderson

Honored for : Rushmore

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Paul Schrader Affliction
Lodge Kerrigan Claire Dolan
Todd Solondz Happiness
Wes Anderson Rushmore
Todd Haynes Velvet Goldmine

Robert Duvall

Honored for : The Apostle

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Larry Fessenden Habit
Robert Duvall The Apostle
Wim Wenders The End of Violence
Paul Schrader Touch
Victor Nuñez Ulee's Gold

Joel Coen

Honored for : Fargo

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert M. Young Caught
Joel Coen Fargo
David O. Russell Flirting with Disaster
Abel Ferrara The Funeral
Todd Solondz Welcome to the Dollhouse

Mike Figgis

Honored for : Leaving Las Vegas

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Mike Figgis Leaving Las Vegas
Ulu Grosbard Georgia
Michael Almereyda Nadja
Todd Haynes Safe
John Sayles The Secret of Roan Inish

Quentin Tarantino

Honored for : Pulp Fiction

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Quentin Tarantino Pulp Fiction
Roman Polanski Death and the Maiden
Ang Lee Eat Drink Man Woman
Alan Rudolph Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
John Dahl Red Rock West

Robert Altman

Honored for : Short Cuts

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Robert Altman Short Cuts
Robert Rodriguez El Mariachi
John Turturro Mac
Victor Nuñez Ruby in Paradise
Ang Lee The Wedding Banquet

Carl Franklin

Honored for : One False Move

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Carl Franklin One False Move
Abel Ferrara Bad Lieutenant
Allison Anders Gas Food Lodging
Quentin Tarantino Reservoir Dogs
Tom Kalin Swoon

Martha Coolidge

Honored for : Rambling Rose

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martha Coolidge Rambling Rose
Joseph Vásquez Hangin' with the Homeboys
Gus Van Sant My Own Private Idaho
Todd Haynes Poison
Richard Linklater Slacker

Charles Burnett

Honored for : To Sleep with Anger

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Charles Burnett To Sleep with Anger
John McNaughton Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Reginald Hudlin House Party
Allan Moyle Pump Up the Volume
Michael Roemer The Plot Against Harry

Steven Soderbergh

Honored for : Sex, Lies, and Videotape

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Steven Soderbergh Sex, Lies, and Videotape
Gus Van Sant Drugstore Cowboy
Jim Jarmusch Mystery Train
Charles Lane Sidewalk Stories
Nancy Savoca True Love

Ramón Menéndez

Honored for : Stand and Deliver

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Ramón Menéndez Stand and Deliver
John Waters Hairspray
David Burton Morris Patti Rocks
Oliver Stone Talk Radio
Errol Morris The Thin Blue Line

John Huston

Honored for : The Dead

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee Nominated Work
John Huston The Dead
John Sayles Matewan
Tim Hunter River's Edge
Jonathan Demme Swimming to Cambodia
Jim McBride The Big Easy

Oliver Stone

Honored for : Platoon

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Oliver Stone Platoon
David Lynch Blue Velvet
Jim Jarmusch Down by Law
Oliver Stone Salvador
Rob Reiner Stand by Me

Martin Scorsese

Honored for : After Hours
(tie with Joel Coen - Blood Simple)

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martin Scorsese After Hours
Joel Coen Blood Simple
Joyce Chopra Smooth Talk
Peter Masterson The Trip to Bountiful

Joel Coen

Honored for : Blood Simple
(tie with Martin Scorcese - After Hours)

Nominations 1986 »

Nominee Nominated Work
Martin Scorsese After Hours
Joel Coen Blood Simple
Joyce Chopra Smooth Talk
Peter Masterson The Trip to Bountiful