11th Independent Spirit Awards


The 11th Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best in independent filmmaking for 1995, were announced on March 23, 1996. It was hosted by Samuel L. Jackson.

Nominees and winners

Independent [Spirit Award for Best Film|Best Feature]Best Director
Leaving Las Vegas
Mike Figgis - Leaving Las Vegas
  • Michael Almereyda - Nadja
  • Ulu Grosbard - Georgia
  • Todd Haynes - Safe
  • John Sayles - The Secret of Roan Inish
    • Best Male LeadBest Female Lead
    Sean Penn - Dead Man Walking
  • Nicolas Cage - Leaving Las Vegas
  • Tim Roth - Little Odessa
  • Jimmy Smits - My Family
  • Kevin Spacey - Swimming with Sharks
    		• Elisabeth Shue - Leaving Las Vegas
  • Jennifer Jason Leigh - Georgia
  • Elina Löwensohn - Nadja
  • Julianne Moore - Safe
  • Lili Taylor - The Addiction
    • Best Supporting MaleBest Supporting Female
    Benicio del Toro - The Usual Suspects
  • James LeGros - Living in Oblivion
  • David Morse - The Crossing Guard
  • Max Perlich - Georgia
  • Harold Perrineau - Smoke
    		• Mare Winningham - Georgia
  • Jennifer Lopez - My Family
  • Vanessa Redgrave - Little Odessa
  • Chloë Sevigny - Kids
  • Celia Weston - Dead Man Walking
    • Best ScreenplayBest First Screenplay
    The Usual Suspects - Christopher McQuarrie
  • Leaving Las Vegas - Mike Figgis
  • Living in Oblivion - Tom DiCillo
  • Safe - Todd Haynes
  • The Secret of Roan Inish - John Sayles
    		• Smoke - Paul Auster
  • Kids - Harmony Korine
  • Little Odessa - James Gray
  • Post Cards from America - Steve McLean
  • River of Grass - Kelly Reichardt
    • Best First FeatureBest Debut Performance
    The Brothers McMullen
  • Kids
  • Little Odessa
  • Picture Bride
  • River of Grass
    		• Justin Pierce - Kids
  • Jason Andrews - Rhythm Thief
  • Lisa Bowman - River of Grass
  • Gabriel Casseus - New Jersey Drive
  • Rose McGowan - The Doom Generation
    • Best CinematographyBest Foreign Film
    Leaving Las Vegas - Declan Quinn
  • Little Odessa - Tom Richmond
  • Nadja - Jim Denault
  • The Underneath - Elliot Davis
  • The Usual Suspects - Newton Thomas Sigel
    		• Before the Rain • Macedonia
  • The [City of Lost Children] • France
  • Exotica • Canada
  • I Am Cuba • Soviet Union
  • Through the Olive Trees • Iran

    • Special awards

    Someone to Watch Award

    Christopher Münch - Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day

    Special Distinction Award