A Landmark Year for Indie Film | Video Librarian

Even before Al Pacino had stepped up to the podium to announce the nominees for Best Picture at the 69th Academy Awards, one could have easily argued that 1996 was already a win for the independent picture… 

David and Goliath tales of smaller production houses facing off against the once-formidable major studio giants were being exchanged amongst media and critics alike across the country. It seemed more and more esteemed directors too were turning their backs on the establishment; opting instead for a greater handle over creative control - like Robert Altman, Woody Allen and Francis Ford Coppola. If that wasn’t already enough, a slew of next-generation filmmakers had hit the ground running that year - with the likes of Wes Anderson, the Coen brothers, Alexander Payne, John Sayles and Tod Solondz all releasing quality indie pictures that made the studio bigwigs appear as if they’d been sitting on their hands. Thirdly and no less crucially, the changing attitude of the local cinema-goer proved a key factor...with more and more US audiences peeping over the fence and discovering a fresh and flourishing international film market blossoming on the other side. 

Read the full article for Video Librarian here.

Heather Matarazzo plays Dawn Wiener in Welcome to the Dollhouse; one of several notable cult indie films of 1996