The Independent Spirit Awards (originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984

1984 in film

-Events:* The Walt Disney Company founds Touchstone Pictures to release movies with subject matter deemed inappropriate for the Disney name.* Tri-Star Pictures, a joint venture of Columbia Pictures, HBO, and CBS, releases its first film....

, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers

Independent film

An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...

. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass

Acrylic glass

Poly is a transparent thermoplastic, often used as a light or shatter-resistant alternative to glass. It is sometimes called acrylic glass. Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate...

 pyramid

Pyramid

A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...

s containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent film

Independent film

An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...

s. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit Awards. The Independent Spirit Awards are presented by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers. In 2007, the ceremony was slightly changed to Film Independent's Spirit Awards. Since 2006, winners have received a trophy depicting a bird sitting atop of a pole with the shoestrings from the previous design wrapped around the pole.

The awards show was previously held inside a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...

, usually on the day before the Academy Awards

Academy Awards

An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...

 (since 1999; originally the Saturday before). Since 1994, the show has been broadcast on the Bravo network and Independent Film Channel

Independent Film Channel

The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...

.

The 2009 awards took place on February 21, 2009. Independent Spirit Awards 2010 were held on March 5, 2010 inside a tent in downtown Los Angeles.

Categories

• Best Film
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Film
  The Independent Spirit Award for Best Film is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-1980s:* 1985: After Hours - Martin Scorsese** Blood Simple - Joel and Ethan Coen** Smooth Talk...
  
  
• Best Director
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Director
  The Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Director is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.- 1980s :* 1985: Joel Coen – Blood Simple** Martin Scorsese – After Hours** Joyce Chopra – Smooth Talk...
  
  
• Best First Feature
  Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature
  The Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards. It is usually given to the director and producer . The "first feature" designation is applied to the director not the producer...
  
  
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
  The Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Female Lead is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:...
  
  
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
• Best Screenplay
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay
  The Film Independent's Spirit Award for Best Screenplay is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-1980s:* 1985: The Trip to Bountiful - Horton Foote** After Hours - Joseph Minion** Blood Simple - Joel and Ethan Coen...
  
  
• Best First Screenplay
  Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay
  The Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay is one of the annual awards given by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers.-1990s:1994*David O...
  
  
• Best Foreign Film
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film
  The Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-1980s:* 1985: Kiss of the Spider Woman - Hector Babenco • Brazil/USA** Dreamchild • France/UK** The Hit • UK...
  
  
• Best Documentary Feature
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature
  The Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary Feature is one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards.-2000s:*2000: Dark Days**The Eyes of Tammy Faye**Long Night's Journey into Day**Paragraph 175**Sound and Fury...
  
  
• Best Cinematography
  Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography
  The Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography is one of the annual awards given by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers.- 1980s :* 1986: Toyomichi Kurita – Trouble in Mind...
  
  
• John Cassavetes Award
  Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award
  The Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award is presented to the creative team of a film budgeted at less than $500,000 by Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers...
  
  
• Robert Altman Award
• Acura Someone to Watch Award
• Piaget Producers Award
• Truer than Fiction Award

External links

• Film Independent
• Independent Spirit Awards at Internet Movie Database
  Internet Movie Database
  Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...