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 the Film Independent, a non-profit organization dedicated to independent film and independent filmmakers. It is named after actor/screenwriter/director John Cassavetes, a pioneer of American independent film.

During the first year, the award was given to a feature film that featured a first-time director with the film being budgeted under $500,000. Films budgeted higher were eligible for the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. In 2001, the award was given to any feature film budgeted under $500,000 regardless of how many films the director has made.

Winners

1990s

• 1999: The Blair Witch Project – Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, directors; Gregg Hale and Robin Cowie, producers
  • La Ciudad (The City) – David Riker, director and producer; Paul S. Mezey, producer
  • Compensation – Zeinabu irene Davis, director and producer; Marc Arthur Chery, producer
  • Judy Berlin – Eric Mendelsohn, director; Rocco Caruso, producer
  • Treasure Island – Scott King, director; Adrienne Gruben, producer

2000s

• 2000: Chuck & Buck – Miguel Arteta, director; Matthew Greenfield; producer; Mike White, screenwriter
  • Bunny – Mia Trachinger, director/screenwriter/producer; Rebecca Sonnenshine, producer
  • Everything Put Together – Marc Forster, director/screenwriter; Adam Forgash, screenwriter; Sean Furst and Catherine Lloyd Burns, producers
  • Groove – Greg Harrison, director/screenwriter; Danielle Renfrew, producer
  • Our Song – Jim McKay, director/screenwriter/producer; Paul S. Mezey and Diana E. Williams, producers

• 2001: Jackpot – Michael Polish, screenwriter/director; Mark Polish, screenwriter/producer
  • Acts of Worship
  • Kaaterskill Falls
  • Punks
  • Virgil Bliss

• 2002: Personal Velocity – Rebecca Miller, screenwriter/director; Lemore Syvan, Alexis Alexanian, and Gary Winick, producers
  • Charlotte Sometimes
  • Dahmer
  • ivans xtc.
  • The Slaughter Rule

• 2003: The Station Agent – Tom McCarthy, screenwriter/director; Mary Jane Skalski, Robert May, and Kathryn Tucker, producers
  • Anne B. Real
  • Better Luck Tomorrow
  • Pieces of April
  • Virgin

• 2004: Mean Creek – Jacob Aaron Estes, screenwriter/director; Hagai Shaham, Rick Rosenthal, and Susan Johnson, producers
  • Down to the Bone
  • On the Outs
  • Robbing Peter
  • Unknown Soldier

• 2005: Conventioneers – Mora Stephens, screenwriter/director; Joel Viertel, screenwriter/producer
  • Brick
  • Jellysmoke
  • The Puffy Chair
  • Room

• 2006: Quinceañera
  • 12 and Holding
  • Chalk
  • Four Eyed Monsters
  • Old Joy

• 2007: August Evening – Chris Eska, screenwriter/director; Connie Hill and Jason Wehling, producers
  • Owl and the Sparrow
  • The Pool
  • Quiet City
  • Shotgun Stories

• 2008: In Search of a Midnight Kiss – Alex Holdridge, screenwriter/director; Seth Caplan and Scoot McNairy, producers
  • Prince of Broadway
  • The Signal
  • Take Out
  • Turn the River

• 2009: Humpday – Lynn Shelton, screenwriter/director; Steven Schardt and Jennifer Maas, producers
  • Big Fan
  • The New Year Parade
  • Treeless Mountain
  • Zero Bridge

2010s

• 2010: Daddy Longlegs – Ben Safdie & Joshua Safdie, screenwriters/directors; Casey Neistat and Tom Scott, producers
  • The Exploding Girl
  • Lbs.
  • Lovers of Hate
  • Obselidia

• 2011: Pariah – Dee Rees, screenwriter/director, Nekisa Cooper, producer
  • Bellflower
  • Circumstance
  • The Dynamiter
  • Hello Lonesome

• 2012: Middle of Nowhere – Ava DuVernay, screenwriter/director, Paul Garnes and Howard Barish, producers
  • Breakfast with Curtis
  • The Color Wheel
  • Mosquita y Mari
  • Starlet

• 2013: This Is Martin Bonner – Writer/Director: Chad Hartigan, Producer: Cherie Saulter
  • Computer Chess – Writer/Director: Andrew Bujalski, Producers: Houston King and Alex Lipschultz
  • Crystal Fairy – Writer/Director: Sebastián Silva, Producers: Juan de Dios Larraín and Pablo Larraín
  • Museum Hours – Writer/Director: Jem Cohen, Producers: Paolo Calamita and Gabriele Kranzelbinder
  • Pit Stop – Writer/Director: Yen Tan, Writer: David Lowery, Producers: Jonathan Duffy, James M. Johnston, Eric Steele, and Kelly Williams

• 2014: Land Ho! – Writers/Directors: Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens, Producers: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie and Sara Murphy
  • Blue Ruin – Writer/Director: Jeremy Saulnier, Producers: Richard Peete, Vincent Savino and Anish Savjani
  • It Felt Like Love – Writer/Director/Producer: Eliza Hittman, Producers: Shrihari Sathe and Laura Wagner
  • Man from Reno – Writer/Director: Dave Boyle, Writers: Joel Clark and Michael Lerman, Producer: Ko Mori
  • Test – Writer/Director: Chris Mason Johnson, Producer: Chris Martin

• 2015: Krisha – Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults; Producers: Justin R. Chan, Chase Joliet, and Wilson Smith
  • Advantageous – Writer/Director/Producer: Jennifer Phang; Writer/Producer: Jacqueline Kim; Producers: Robert Chang, Ken Jeong, Moon Molson, Theresa Navarro
  • Christmas, Again – Writer/Director/Producer: Charles Poekel
  • Heaven Knows What – Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie; Writers: : Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie; Producers: : Oscar Boyson and Sebastian Bear McClard
  • Out of My Hand – Writer/Director: Takeshi Fukunaga; Writer/Producer: Donari Braxton; Producer: Mike Fox