14th Independent Spirit Awards


The 14th Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best in independent filmmaking for 1998, were announced on March 20, 1999. It was hosted by Queen Latifah.

Nominees and winners

Independent [Spirit Award for Best Film|Best Feature]Best Director
Gods and Monsters
Wes Anderson - Rushmore
  • Todd Haynes - Velvet Goldmine
  • Lodge Kerrigan - Claire Dolan
  • Paul Schrader - Affliction
  • Todd Solondz - Happiness
    • Best Male LeadBest Female Lead
    Ian McKellen - Gods and Monsters
  • Dylan Baker - Happiness
  • Nick Nolte - Affliction
  • Sean Penn - Hurlyburly
  • Courtney B. Vance - Blind Faith
    		• Ally Sheedy - High Art
  • Katrin Cartlidge - Claire Dolan
  • Christina Ricci - The Opposite of Sex
  • Robin Tunney - Niagara, Niagara
  • Alfre Woodard - Down in the Delta
    • Best Supporting MaleBest Supporting Female
    Bill Murray - Rushmore
  • James Coburn - Affliction
  • Charles S. Dutton - Blind Faith
  • Gary Farmer - Smoke Signals
  • Philip Seymour Hoffman - Happiness
    		• Lynn Redgrave - Gods and Monsters
  • Stockard Channing - The Baby Dance
  • Patricia Clarkson - High Art
  • Lisa Kudrow - The Opposite of Sex
  • Joely Richardson - Under Heaven
    • Best ScreenplayBest First Screenplay
    The Opposite of Sex - Don Roos
  • Affliction - Paul Schrader
  • Blind Faith - Frank Military
  • Gods and Monsters - Bill Condon
  • The Spanish Prisoner - David Mamet
    		•  - Darren Aronofsky
  • High Art - Lisa Cholodenko
  • Niagara, Niagara - Matthew Weiss
  • Slums of Beverly Hills - Tamara Jenkins
  • Smoke Signals - Sherman Alexie
    • Best First FeatureBest Debut Performance
    The Opposite of Sex
  • Buffalo '66
  • High Art
  • Slums of Beverly Hills
    		• Evan Adams - Smoke Signals
  • Anthony Roth Costanzo - A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries
  • Andrea Hart - Miss Monday
  • Sonja Sohn - Slam
  • Saul Williams - Slam
    • Best CinematographyBest Foreign Film
    Velvet Goldmine - Maryse Alberti
  • Affliction - Paul Sarossy
  • Belly - Malik Hassan Sayeed
  • High Art - Tami Reiker
  • - Matthew Libatique
    		• The Celebration • Denmark
  • Central Station • Brazil
  • The Eel • Japan
  • Fireworks • Japan
  • The General • Ireland

    • Special awards

    Truer Than Fiction Award

    Regret to Inform

    Producers Award

    Susan A. Stover - The [Sticky Fingers of Time] & High Art

    Someone to Watch Award

    David D. Williams - Thirteen