3rd Independent Spirit Awards


The 3rd Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best in independent filmmaking for 1987, were announced on February 11, 1988. The ceremony was hosted by Buck Henry and was held at 385 North, a restaurant in Los Angeles.

Winners and nominees

Best FeatureBest Director
River's EdgeThe Big EasyThe DeadMatewanSwimming to CambodiaTough Guys Don't DanceJohn Huston - The Dead
Best Male LeadBest Female Lead
Dennis Quaid - The Big Easy
  • Spalding Gray - Swimming to Cambodia
  • Terry O'Quinn - The Stepfather
  • Mickey Rourke - Barfly
  • James Woods - Best Seller
    		• Sally Kirkland - Anna
  • Lillian Gish - The Whales of August
  • Debra Sandlund - Tough Guys Don't Dance
  • Louise Smith - Working Girls
  • Joanne Woodward - The Glass Menagerie
    • Best Supporting MaleBest Supporting Female
    Morgan Freeman - Street Smart
  • Wings Hauser - Tough Guys Don't Dance
  • James Earl Jones - Matewan
  • Vincent Price - The Whales of August
  • David Strathairn - Matewan
    		• Anjelica Huston - The Dead
  • Karen Allen - The Glass Menagerie
  • Kathy Baker - Street Smart
  • Martha Plimpton - Shy People
  • Ann Sothern - The Whales of August
    • Best ScreenplayBest Cinematography
    River's Edge - Neal JimenezAnna - Agnieszka HollandThe Dead - Tony HustonMatewan - John SaylesSwimming to Cambodia - Spalding GrayMatewan - Haskell WexlerBarfly - Robby MüllerThe Dead - Fred MurphySlam Dance - Amir MokriTough Guys Don't Dance - John Bailey
    Best First FeatureBest International Film
    Dirty Dancing - Emile ArdolinoAnna - Yurek BogayeviczHollywood Shuffle - Robert TownsendSiesta - Mary LambertWaiting for the Moon - Jill GodmilowMy Life as a Dog • SwedenAu revoir les enfants • France / West GermanyHope and Glory • United KingdomPrick Up Your Ears • United KingdomTampopo • Japan

    Films with multiple nominations and awards

    AwardsFilm
    2The Dead
    2River's Edge