Saturday, December 21

FISA – John Cassavetes Award

Click through each award to see the full list of nominees and winners!

2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Give Me Liberty Kirill Mikhanovsky

Give Me Liberty

Kirill Mikhanovsky

2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

En el Séptimo Día Jim McKay

En el Séptimo Día

Jim McKay

2018 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Life & Nothing More Amadeo Hernández Bueno

Life & Nothing More

Amadeo Hernández Bueno

2017 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Spa Night Andrew Ahn

Spa Night

Andrew Ahn

2016 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Krisha Trey Edward Shults

Krisha

Trey Edward Shults

2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Land Ho! Martha Stephens

Land Ho!

Martha Stephens

2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

This Is Martin Bonner Chad Hartigan

This Is Martin Bonner

Chad Hartigan

2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Middle of Nowhere Ava DuVernay

Middle of Nowhere

Ava DuVernay

2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Pariah Dee Rees

Pariah

Dee Rees

2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Daddy Longlegs Josh Safdie

Daddy Longlegs

Josh Safdie

2010 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Humpday Lynn Shelton

Humpday

Lynn Shelton

2009 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

In Search of a Midnight Kiss Alex Holdridge

In Search of a Midnight Kiss

Alex Holdridge

2008 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

August Evening Chris Eska

August Evening

Chris Eska

2007 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Quinceañera Richard Glatzer

Quinceañera

Richard Glatzer

2006 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Conventioneers Mora Stephens

Conventioneers

Mora Stephens

2005 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Mean Creek Jacob Estes

Mean Creek

Jacob Estes

2004 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

The Station Agent Tom McCarthy

The Station Agent

Tom McCarthy

2003 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Personal Velocity Rebecca Miller

Personal Velocity

Rebecca Miller

2002 Film Independent Spirit Awards – John Cassavetes Award

Jackpot Michael Polish

Jackpot

Michael Polish