List compiled by Eddie on 10/05/2024

“An independent 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 and/or distributed by subsidiaries of major film studios.”* Sourced from Wikipedia.

Taking the very definition of an “indie” from above, below are a list of classic films that came to us from outside of the usual Hollywood wheelhouse, passion projects from known and unknown filmmakers that poured their blood, sweat and tears (and potential own money) into seeing their visions come to life for us all to enjoy.

Often harbouring fantastically original ideas and marking the starting point to many long-standing and celebrated careers, the independent film landscape is one to celebrate and one the industry needs to continue to support with the films listed in this article fine examples of why that’s the case.

See you at the movies.

*Disclaimer – plot summaries from IMDB. 

5. Moon (2009)

Budget – $5 million

“Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet’s power problems.”

Duncan Jones hugely impressive Sci-Fi debut that features a standout Sam Rockwell performance is a showcase for big ideas overcoming budget limitations and while the filmmaker hasn’t yet made good on his talents shown here, Moon will always remain a classic of the genre.

4. Monsters (2010)

Budget – $500,000

“Six years after Earth has suffered an alien invasion, a cynical journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through an infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the U.S. border.”

At one stage reported to have had a budget under $10,000 before extra money was spent on post-production after positive receptions around the world, Gareth Edwards (the man behind new Star Wars hit Rogue One) Sci-Fi that was filmed incognito around various locations is a standout monster flick with homemade special effects that put some Hollywood blockbusters to shame.

3. Donnie Darko (2001)

Budget – $4.5 million

“After narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.”

While it may forever defy a pigeonholed explanation, Richard Kelly’s independent cult hit that was a failure on its initial run only to become a home video hit is a brilliantly bizarre experience that made a star of Jake Gyllenhaal and made Kelly a name to remember. It’s a shame since his feats here that Kelly has failed to find his true mojo in the Hollywood system.

2. Memento (2000)

Budget – $9 million

“A man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife’s murderer.”

Showcasing the brilliance of director Christopher Nolan’s imagination and film prowess, Memento with its twisting plot devices and memorable outcomes is the very definition of what independent films should be, brave, daring, unique and unforgettable for it.

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Budget – $8 million

“The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.”

The biggest daddy of the independent scene and a film that has spawned many an imitator, Quentin Tarantino’s dialogue heavy crime opus that remains forever re-watchable is for good reason an inspiration to many a budding filmmaker that is looking to capture the gold QT mined with this classic.

Other Top Picks –

Reservoir Dogs

Clerks

Withnail and I

The Blair Witch Project

Mad Max

Primer

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Evil Dead

Blue Valentine

Whiplash

What are some of your favourite independent films? Let me know in the comments below!