Were you one of the very few who actually watched tonight’s ceremony of the Independent Spirit Awards? Judging by the media coverage, you’d expect millions to have tuned into the live stream on YouTube. That was not the case, and far from it. Only 33,000 people were watching.
Sean Baker’s “Anora” continued its awards season dominance. The comic romp through Brooklyn’s underworld of sex clubs and gangsters swept the Indie Spirit Awards. It won Best Film, Best Director, and Best Lead Performance for Mikey Madison.
When Baker won Best Director on Saturday, he took the opportunity to reflect on the current state of independent film and warned of an “unsustainable system.”
“Indie film is struggling right now, more than ever,” Baker told the audience in a lengthy speech. “Gone are the days of DVD sales that allow for greater risk to be taken on challenging films. That revenue stream is gone, and the only way to see significant back-end is to have a box office hit with profits that far exceed what any of our films will ever see, unless you are Damien Leone and strike gold with a franchise like Terrifier.”
He continued, “If you are a writer-director trying to break in right now, there’s a good chance you’re making a film for free, or making next to nothing on production or sale. How do you support yourself with middle or no income for three years?
Baker’s words parallel those of a fellow nominee, Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”), who recently admitted barely having any money to his name, and that’s despite directing a film that recently earned 10 Oscar nominations.
If anything exemplifies the indie spirit then it’s these guys. Corbet, Baker and many other filmmakers are working for next to nothing, and in an industry that seems completely uninterested in creativity and risk-taking. The fact that these mavericks are out there, continuing on, and marching by the beat of their own drums is worth celebrating.
Next up for “Anora” is the SAG Awards, Sunday night on Netflix. If it wins Best Ensemble, and Madison takes Best Actress, the Oscars are a foregone conclusion.
Paul Greengrass’ "The Uprising," starring Andrew Garfield, opened to $3.2M from 2,068 theaters this weekend. Yikes. The budget hasn’t been disclosed, but is said to be in the $20-$30M range.