With Anora having swept the board at the 97th Academy Awards and Flow netting a surprising victory, one thing is very clear. Indie properties are hot right now— a far cry from the doom and gloom predictions of a few short years ago. Even the theatrical circuit last year saw a noted boost from interesting indie titles, many of which helped shape a surprisingly successful 2024 box office. It’s safe to say that independent filmmaking has a critical role to play in shaping the future of entertainment. To tell us more, we have Blake & Wang P.A. entertainment lawyer Los Angeles, Brandon Blake.

Brandon Blake

Critical Wins

After taking home 4 Oscars, a first for any filmmaker on a single film, Sean Baker is no doubt very proud of Anora’s many accomplishments. However, it marks something of a watershed moment for both indie filmmaking and awards season fodder. As we exited the rocky pandemic period, many were claiming that the only films that would get traction with theater audiences were splashy blockbusters. Instead, we’ve seen them drop notably in audience appeal— with strong indie titles not just filling slates but actively drawing in theatrical audiences and keeping cinema as a relevant entertainment option even as home streaming has become the default.

Indie filmmaking has always been the vehicle to bring to life more personal films, ones with subject matter unlikely to be greenlit by major names and studios. With greater artistic freedom and typically the budgets to make the flops hurt less, and the victories stand out more, they offer a more “human” experience to the viewer. After all, The Brutalist came to life for under $10M and not only took home 3 Oscars but earned over $45.3M in box office takings alone.

Human Stories

Interestingly, that human experience is exactly what modern viewers are searching for. One look at the 2024 box office and we see that, while the blockbusters may have brought in the big numbers, it’s indie films that offered the consistent bedrock of profitable runs that kept audiences coming back— something essential to keeping the box office recovery rolling.

And at the Oscars? The indies won the day. Anora and Flow were standout stars, but let’s not downplay the number of boutique titles that took home wins in their categories, either. This year, blockbusters, for all their budget and star appeal, couldn’t keep up.

With more originality and ingenuity showcases like this, it’s becoming clear that the true heart of filmmaking still lies on the arthouse and indie circuit. Not only telling the stories that fascinate audiences and lure them away from the streaming bubble but also showcasing new talent and greater artistic freedom completely in line with modern audience demands, the only remaining question is if we’ll see the industry “meet the moment” and support everything the indie industry brings to the table for viewers and backers alike. Let’s hope to see this boom continue through the coming year and beyond.

Author : Reed Mendoza