Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature (Independent Spirit Awards)

Independent Spirit Awards

Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature is a film award presented by the Film Independent.

Check all the winners of Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature presented under Independent Spirit Awards since 1987 .

News

Film Independent Spirit Awards 2015 Nominations are Declared (Fri, Nov 28 2014)

Zachary Quinto, Robert Ogden Barnum, Joe Jenckes, J.C. Chandor, Corey Moosa, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson

Honored for : Margin Call

Nominations 2012 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Brit Marling	Another Earth
Nicholas Shumaker	Another Earth
Hunter Gray	Another Earth
Mike Cahill	Another Earth
Corey Moosa	Margin Call
Neal Dodson	Margin Call
Michael Benaroya	Margin Call
J.C. Chandor	Margin Call
Robert Ogden Barnum	Margin Call
Zachary Quinto	Margin Call
Joe Jenckes	Margin Call
Brion Hambel	Natural Selection
Paul Jensen	Natural Selection
Robbie Pickering	Natural Selection
Antonio Campos	Martha Marcy May Marlene
Chris Maybach	Martha Marcy May Marlene
Patrick Cunningham	Martha Marcy May Marlene
Sean Durkin	Martha Marcy May Marlene
Josh Mond	Martha Marcy May Marlene
Patrick Wang	In the family
Andrew van den Houten	In the family
Robert Tonino	In the family

Dean Zanuck, David Gundlach, Aaron Schneider

Honored for : Get Low

Nominations 2011 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Frazer Bradshaw	Everything Strange and New
A.D. Liano	Everything Strange and New
Laura Techera Francia	Everything Strange and New
Aaron Schneider	Get Low
Dean Zanuck	Get Low
David Gundlach	Get Low
Thomas Bliss	The Last Exorcism
Daniel Stamm	The Last Exorcism
Eric Newman	The Last Exorcism
Marc Abraham	The Last Exorcism
Eli Roth	The Last Exorcism
Jason Orans	Night Catches Us
Sean Costello	Night Catches Us
Ron Simons	Night Catches Us
Tanya Hamilton	Night Catches Us
Alicia Van Couvering	Tiny Furniture
Lena Dunham	Tiny Furniture
Kyle Martin	Tiny Furniture

Scott Cooper, Robert Duvall, Rob Carliner, Judy Cairo, T-Bone Burnett

Honored for : Crazy Heart

Nominations 2010 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Zach Miller	The Messenger
Lawrence Inglee	The Messenger
Mark Gordon	The Messenger
Oren Moverman	The Messenger
Cookie Carosella	Easier with Practice
Kyle Patrick Alvarez	Easier with Practice
Jason Blum	Paranormal Activity
Oren Peli	Paranormal Activity
Tom Ford	A Single Man
Robert Salerno	A Single Man
Chris Weitz	A Single Man
Andrew Miano	A Single Man
Robert Duvall	Crazy Heart
Judy Cairo	Crazy Heart
T-Bone Burnett	Crazy Heart
Scott Cooper	Crazy Heart
Rob Carliner	Crazy Heart

Charlie Kaufman, Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Sidney Kimmel

Honored for : Synecdoche, New York

Nominations 2009 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Josh Mond	Afterschool
Sean Durkin	Afterschool
Antonio Campos	Afterschool
Justin Barber	Medicine for Melancholy
Barry Jenkins	Medicine for Melancholy
Christopher Zalla	Our Father
Per Melita	Our Father
Ben Odell	Our Father
Anthony Bregman	Sleep Dealer
Alex Rivera	Sleep Dealer
Sidney Kimmel	Synecdoche, New York
Anthony Bregman	Synecdoche, New York
Charlie Kaufman	Synecdoche, New York
Spike Jonze	Synecdoche, New York

Scott Frank, Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, Laurence Mark, Walter F. Parkes

Honored for : The Lookout

Nominations 2008 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Thierry Potok	2 Days in Paris
Julie Delpy	2 Days in Paris
Christophe Mazodier	2 Days in Paris
Richard A. Wright	Great World of Sound
Melissa Palmer	Great World of Sound
David Gordon Green	Great World of Sound
Craig Zobel	Great World of Sound
Sean Welch	Rocket Science
Jeffrey Blitz	Rocket Science
Effie Brown	Rocket Science
Roger Birnbaum	The Lookout
Laurence Mark	The Lookout
Walter F. Parkes	The Lookout
Gary Barber	The Lookout
Scott Frank	The Lookout
Rajnesh Domalpalli	Vanaja
Latha R. Domalapalli	Vanaja

Ali Selim, Alan Cumming, Jim Bigham

Honored for : Sweet Land

Nominations 2007 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Julia Loktev	Day Night Day Night
Melanie Judd	Day Night Day Night
Jessica Levin	Day Night Day Night
Ramin Bahrani	Man Push Cart
Pradip Ghosh	Man Push Cart
Bedford T. Bentley	Man Push Cart
Ali Selim	Sweet Land
Alan Cumming	Sweet Land
Jim Bigham	Sweet Land
Michael Kang	The Motel
Miguel Arteta	The Motel
Gina Kwon	The Motel
Karin Chien	The Motel
Matthew Greenfield	The Motel
Goran Duki?	Wristcutters: A Love Story
Chris Coen	Wristcutters: A Love Story
Adam Sherman	Wristcutters: A Love Story
Tatiana Kelly	Wristcutters: A Love Story
Mikal P. Lazarev	Wristcutters: A Love Story

Paul Haggis, Cathy Schulman, Don Cheadle, Bob Yari, Mark R. Harris, Robert Moresco

Honored for : Crash

Nominations 2006 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Paul Haggis	Crash
Bob Yari	Crash
Mark R. Harris	Crash
Robert Moresco	Crash
Don Cheadle	Crash
Cathy Schulman	Crash
George C. Wolfe	Lackawanna Blues
Nellie Rachel Nugiel	Lackawanna Blues
Halle Berry	Lackawanna Blues
Vincent Cirrincione	Lackawanna Blues
Ruben Santiago-Hudson	Lackawanna Blues
Shelby Stone	Lackawanna Blues
Miranda July	Me and You and Everyone We Know
Gina Kwon	Me and You and Everyone We Know
Duncan Tucker	Transamerica
Sebastian Dungan	Transamerica
Linda Moran	Transamerica
Rene Bastian	Transamerica
Mike Mills	Thumbsucker
Anthony Bregman	Thumbsucker
Bob Stephenson	Thumbsucker

Zach Braff, Pamela Abdy, Gary Gilbert, Dan Halsted, Richard Klubeck

Honored for : Garden State

Nominations 2005 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Rodney Evans	Brother to Brother
Isen Robbins	Brother to Brother
Aimee Schoof	Brother to Brother
Jim McKay	Brother to Brother
Zach Braff	Garden State
Dan Halsted	Garden State
Gary Gilbert	Garden State
Pamela Abdy	Garden State
Richard Klubeck	Garden State
Jeremy Coon	Napoleon Dynamite
Jared Hess	Napoleon Dynamite
Sean Covel	Napoleon Dynamite
Chris Wyatt	Napoleon Dynamite
Adam Abel	Saints and Soldiers
Ryan Little	Saints and Soldiers
Lee Daniels	The Woodsman
Nicole Kassell	The Woodsman

Patty Jenkins, Mark Damon, Donald Kushner, Clark Peterson, Charlize Theron, Brad Wyman

Honored for : Monster

Nominations 2004 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Sol Tryon	Bomb the System
Ben Rekhi	Bomb the System
Adam Bhala Lough	Bomb the System
Vadim Perelman	House of Sand and Fog
Michael London	House of Sand and Fog
Patty Jenkins	Monster
Donald Kushner	Monster
Clark Peterson	Monster
Charlize Theron	Monster
Mark Damon	Monster
Brad Wyman	Monster
Fredric King	Streets of Legend
Joey Curtis	Streets of Legend
Catherine Hardwicke	Thirteen
Michael London	Thirteen
Jeff Levy-Hinte	Thirteen

Peter Care

Honored for : The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

Nominations 2003 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Neil Burger	Interview with the Assassin
Eric Eason	Manito
Charles Stone III	Paid in Full
Dylan Kidd	Roger Dodger
Peter Care	The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

Todd Field

Honored for : In the Bedroom

Nominations 2002 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Richard Kelly	Donnie Darko
Terry Zwigoff	Ghost World
Todd Field	In the Bedroom
Jennifer Jason Leigh	The Anniversary Party
Alan Cumming	The Anniversary Party
Henry Bean	The Believer

Kenneth Lonergan, John Hart, Jeffrey Sharp, Barbara De Fina, Larry Meistrich

Honored for : You Can Count on Me

Nominations 2001 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Ben Younger	Boiler Room
Suzanne Todd	Boiler Room
Jennifer Todd	Boiler Room
Karyn Kusama	Girlfight
Maggie Renzi	Girlfight
Sarah Green	Girlfight
Martha Griffin	Girlfight
Gina Prince-Bythewood	Love & Basketball
Sam Kitt	Love & Basketball
Spike Lee	Love & Basketball
Jordan Walker-Pearlman	The Visit
Kenneth Lonergan	You Can Count on Me
Barbara De Fina	You Can Count on Me
John Hart	You Can Count on Me
Larry Meistrich	You Can Count on Me
Jeffrey Sharp	You Can Count on Me

Spike Jonze, Michael Stipe, Sandy Stern, Steve Golin, Vincent Landay

Honored for : Being John Malkovich

Nominations 2000 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Spike Jonze	Being John Malkovich
Vincent Landay	Being John Malkovich
Steve Golin	Being John Malkovich
Sandy Stern	Being John Malkovich
Michael Stipe	Being John Malkovich
Kimberly Peirce	Boys Don't Cry
John Hart	Boys Don't Cry
Christine Vachon	Boys Don't Cry
Eva Kolodner	Boys Don't Cry
Jeffrey Sharp	Boys Don't Cry
Tony Bui	Three Seasons
Jason Kliot	Three Seasons
Joana Vicente	Three Seasons
Marshall Persinger	Twin Falls Idaho
Steven J. Wolfe	Twin Falls Idaho
Michael Polish	Twin Falls Idaho
Rena Ronson	Twin Falls Idaho
Joan Chen	Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl
Alice Chan	Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl

Don Roos, David Kirkpatrick, Michael Besman

Honored for : The Opposite of Sex

Nominations 1999 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Darren Aronofsky	Pi
Eric Watson	Pi
Vincent Gallo	Buffalo '66
Chris Hanley	Buffalo '66
Lisa Cholodenko	High Art
Jeff Levy-Hinte	High Art
Susan Stover	High Art
Dolly Hall	High Art
Tamara Jenkins	Slums of Beverly Hills
Michael Nozik	Slums of Beverly Hills
Stan Wlodkowski	Slums of Beverly Hills
Don Roos	The Opposite of Sex
Michael Besman	The Opposite of Sex
David Kirkpatrick	The Opposite of Sex

Kasi Lemmons, Caldecot Chubb, Samuel L. Jackson

Honored for : Eve's Bayou

Nominations 1998 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Caldecot Chubb	Eve's Bayou
Samuel L. Jackson	Eve's Bayou
Kasi Lemmons	Eve's Bayou
Paul Thomas Anderson	Hard Eight
John S. Lyons	Hard Eight
Robert Jones	Hard Eight
Neil LaBute	In the Company of Men
Stephen Pevner	In the Company of Men
Mark Archer	In the Company of Men
Miguel Arteta	Star Maps
Matthew Greenfield	Star Maps
Daniel J. Harris	The Bible And Gun Club

Billy Bob Thornton, David L. Bushell, Brandon Rosser

Honored for : Sling Blade

Nominations 1997 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Campbell Scott	Big Night
Stanley Tucci	Big Night
Jonathan Filley	Big Night
Mary Harron	I Shot Andy Warhol
Tom Kalin	I Shot Andy Warhol
Christine Vachon	I Shot Andy Warhol
Lisa Krueger	Manny & Lo
Marlen Hecht	Manny & Lo
Dean Silvers	Manny & Lo
Billy Bob Thornton	Sling Blade
David L. Bushell	Sling Blade
Brandon Rosser	Sling Blade
Steve Buscemi	Trees Lounge
Chris Hanley	Trees Lounge
Brad Wyman	Trees Lounge

Edward Burns, Dick Fisher

Honored for : The Brothers McMullen

Nominations 1996 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Larry Clark	Kids
Cary Woods	Kids
James Gray	Little Odessa
Paul Webster	Little Odessa
Kayo Hatta	Picture Bride
Diane Mei Lin Mark	Picture Bride
Lisa Onodera	Picture Bride
Kelly Reichardt	River of Grass
Edward Burns	The Brothers McMullen
Dick Fisher	The Brothers McMullen

David O. Russell, Dean Silvers

Honored for : Spanking the Monkey

Nominations 1995 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Lodge Kerrigan	Clean, Shaven
Kevin Smith	Clerks
Scott Mosier	Clerks
Darnell Martin	I Like It Like That
Lane Janger	I Like It Like That
David O. Russell	Spanking the Monkey
Dean Silvers	Spanking the Monkey
David Siegel	Suture
Scott McGehee	Suture
Michèle Pétin	Suture

Robert Rodriguez, Carlos Gallardo

Honored for : El Mariachi

Nominations 1994 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Martin Bell	American Heart
Jeff Bridges	American Heart
Rosilyn Heller	American Heart
Tony Chan	Combination Platter
Judy Moy	Combination Platter
Robert Rodriguez	El Mariachi
Carlos Gallardo	El Mariachi
Allen Hughes	Menace II Society
Albert Hughes	Menace II Society
Darin Scott	Menace II Society
John Turturro	Mac
Brenda Goodman	Mac
Nancy Tenenbaum	Mac

Michael Steinberg, Neal Jimenez, Marie Cantin, Guy Riedel, Gale Anne Hurd

Honored for : The Waterdance

Nominations 1993 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Stacy Cochran	My New Gun
Michael Flynn	My New Gun
Miles Copeland III	My New Gun
Paul Colichman	My New Gun
Harold Welb	My New Gun
Quentin Tarantino	Reservoir Dogs
Lawrence Bender	Reservoir Dogs
Harvey Keitel	Reservoir Dogs
Ronna B. Wallace	Reservoir Dogs
Richard N. Gladstein	Reservoir Dogs
Monte Hellman	Reservoir Dogs
Tom Kalin	Swoon
Christine Vachon	Swoon
Peter Wentworth	Swoon
Lauren Zalaznick	Swoon
James Schamus	Swoon
Gale Anne Hurd	The Waterdance
Marie Cantin	The Waterdance
Guy Riedel	The Waterdance
Neal Jimenez	The Waterdance
Michael Steinberg	The Waterdance
Nick Gomez	Laws of Gravity
Bob Gosse	Laws of Gravity
Larry Meistrich	Laws of Gravity

Matty Rich, Lindsay Law, Ira Deutchman

Honored for : Straight Out of Brooklyn

Nominations 1992 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Wendell B. Harris Jr.	Chameleon Street
Dan Lawton	Chameleon Street
Helen B. Harris	Chameleon Street
Christine Vachon	Poison
James Schamus	Poison
Brian Greenbaum	Poison
Todd Haynes	Poison
Richard Linklater	Slacker
Matty Rich	Straight Out of Brooklyn
Lindsay Law	Straight Out of Brooklyn
Ira Deutchman	Straight Out of Brooklyn
Michael Tolkin	The Rapture
Nick Wechsler	The Rapture
Karen Koch	The Rapture
Nancy Tenenbaum	The Rapture
Laurie Parker	The Rapture

Whit Stillman

Honored for : Metropolitan

Nominations 1991 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Warrington Hudlin	House Party
Reginald Hudlin	House Party
Tony Buba	Lighting over Braddock: A Rust Bowl Fantasy
Whit Stillman	Metropolitan
Aziz Ghazal	The Natural History of Parking Lots
Everett Lewis	The Natural History of Parking Lots
Wieland Schulz-Keil	Twister
Michael Almereyda	Twister

Michael Lehmann, Denise Di Novi

Honored for : Heathers

Nominations 1990 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Patrick Sheane Duncan	84C MoPic
Michael Nolin	84C MoPic
Michael Lehmann	Heathers
Denise Di Novi	Heathers
Jonathan Wacks	Powwow Highway
Jan Wieringa	Powwow Highway
Charles Lane	Sidewalk Stories
Howard M. Brickner	Sidewalk Stories
Rob Tregenza	Talking to Strangers
J.K. Eareckson	Talking to Strangers

Donald Petrie, Mark Levinson, Scott Rosenfelt

Honored for : Mystic Pizza

Nominations 1989 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Allison Anders	Border Radio
Dean Lent	Border Radio
Kurt Voss	Border Radio
Marcus DeLeon	Border Radio
Donald Petrie	Mystic Pizza
Mark Levinson	Mystic Pizza
Scott Rosenfelt	Mystic Pizza
Ron Nyswaner	The Prince of Pennsylvania
Joan Fishman	The Prince of Pennsylvania
Kerry Orent	The Prince of Pennsylvania
Keith Gordon	The Chocolate War
Jonathan D. Krane	The Chocolate War
Calvin Skaggs	The Wash
Michael Toshiyuki Uno	The Wash

Linda Gottlieb, Emile Ardolino

Honored for : Dirty Dancing

Nominations 1988 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Yurek Bogayevicz	Anna
Zanne Devine	Anna
Emile Ardolino	Dirty Dancing
Linda Gottlieb	Dirty Dancing
Robert Townsend	Hollywood Shuffle
Carl Craig	Hollywood Shuffle
Mary Lambert	Siesta
Gary Kurfirst	Siesta
Jill Godmilow	Waiting for the Moon
Sandra Schulberg	Waiting for the Moon

Spike Lee

Honored for : She's Gotta Have It

Nominations 1987 »

Nominee	Nominated Work
Peter Wang	A Great Wall
Glen Pitre	Belizaire the Cajun
Allan L. Durand	Belizaire the Cajun
David Anspaugh	Hoosiers
John Daly	Hoosiers
Derek Gibson	Hoosiers
Angelo Pizzo	Hoosiers
Carter DeHaven	Hoosiers
Spike Lee	She's Gotta Have It
David Byrne	True Stories
Gary Kurfirst	True Stories

Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature