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

Independent [Spirit Award for Best Film|Best Feature]Best Director
River's Edge
John Huston - The Dead
  • Jonathan Demme - Swimming to Cambodia
  • Tim Hunter - River's Edge
  • Jim McBride - The Big Easy
  • John Sayles - Matewan
    • 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 (1986 film) |Working Girls]
  • Joanne Woodward - The [Glass Menagerie (1987 film)|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 Jimenez
  • Anna - Agnieszka Holland
  • The Dead - Tony Huston
  • Matewan - John Sayles
  • Swimming to Cambodia - Spalding Gray
    		• Matewan - Haskell Wexler
  • Barfly - Robby Müller
  • The Dead - Fred Murphy
  • Slam Dance - Amir Mokri
  • Tough Guys Don't Dance - John Bailey
    • Best First FeatureBest International Film
    Dirty Dancing - Emile Ardolino
  • Anna - Yurek Bogayevicz
  • Hollywood Shuffle - Robert Townsend
  • Siesta - Mary Lambert
  • Waiting for [the Moon (film)|Waiting for the Moon] - Jill Godmilow
    		• My Life as a Dog • Sweden
  • Au revoir les enfants • France / West Germany
  • Hope and Glory • Cinema of [the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]
  • Prick Up Your Ears • United Kingdom
  • Tampopo • Japan

    • Films with multiple nominations and awards

    AwardsFilm
    2The Dead
    2River's Edge