The term “indie film” or “independent movie” gets tossed around rather aimlessly and without any real explanation. People use it to describe a genre of movie or the feeling a movie invokes, rather than what it actually is. The basic definition of an independent film is a film that is produced without the financial backing of a major studio. These films are made by smaller studios that don’t have the capital access that large studios have, such as the Big Five. The Big Five are the major studios, and chances are you already know all five; Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, and Columbia Pictures. Up until the Disney-Fox merger, 20th Century Fox was the sixth. Every movie that is produced by a studio or production company that is not one of the Big Five is not automatically an independent film. Plenty of studios and production companies are owned by major studios and plenty of studios are not independent, but simply aren’t as big or as recognizable by general audiences.
Studios such as A24, Neon Entertainment, Blumhouse Productions, and Annapurna Pictures are some of the more recognizable independent studios. A24 and Neon have made huge waves in the indie film community and operate solely on their own. Blumhouse and Annapurna both have distribution contracts with Universal and MGM respectively, but they produce their films on their own. Indie cinema has cultivated a connotation with artistic or experimental storytelling because independent films allow the filmmakers full creative control of each project, unlike big studio films which usually interfere with the creative process.
Films that are character-driven, experiment with filmmaking styles, and provoke meaningful thoughts are usually described as “indie,” but the atmosphere isn’t the only element that makes a film independent. Defining what constitutes a film as independent grows more difficult as studios continue to form mergers or are bought out by larger studios. Generally speaking, an independent film is a movie that is produced by an independent studio, however, it can be distributed theatrically by a major studio. Indie films have grown to be more appealing to wider movie-going audiences over the last decade or so, and they have even made decent money at the box office. So, here are the highest-grossing independent films from each year of the 2010s.
Black Swan (2010) – $329.3M
Darren Aronofsky’s psychological horror film Black Swan was a huge success with critics and performed quite well for a movie not backed by a major studio. The film follows a talented but unstable ballerina named Nina (Natalie Portman) who is desperate to prove herself a worthy dancer. Pushed to the breaking point by her domineering director and threatened by an equally talented rival, Nina’s grip on reality loosens, sending her into a waking nightmare. It’s a thrilling, hypnotizing ride from start to finish, and the Oscar-winning film grossed over $329.3 million worldwide. It was produced and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, the independent branch of 20th Century Fox, and Natalie Portman picked up a Best Actress Oscar for Best Actress in 2011.
The Intouchables (2011)- $426.5M
French biopic The Intouchables is the story of a quadriplegic man named and the young man he hired to become his caretaker. After a tragic paragliding accident, wealthy aristocrat Philippe (Francois Cluzet) hires Driss (Omar Sy) from the projects of Paris to be his in-home caretaker after Driss demands Philippe to sign a document proving he is seeking employment opportunities. The comedy-drama was a bit of a surprising worldwide hit, as the independent foreign film grossed over $426.5M at the global box office. It also rated #48 on IMDB’s Top 250 movies list and inspired an American remake in 2017 called The Upside, starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012) – $136.8M
The romcom The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a British movie that was produced by Dune Entertainment and distributed by Fox Searchlight in 2012. It follows a group of retired friends who travel to India to stay in what they believed to be a newly renovated luxury hotel. The hotel is less than luxurious in person, yet the unique charm of the hotel begins to slowly appeal to the group of retirees. The film stars some of Britain’s veteran actors including Judy Dench, Maggie Smith, and BIlly Nighy. It’s a simple but sweet story about an aging group of friends and how they make the most of their lives. Worldwide, it grossed over $136.8 million at the box office in 2012.
12 Years a Slave (2013) – $187.7M
Director Steve McQueen has become known for making moving films that follow either real-life or fictional harrowing journeys, and his 2013 biographical drama is no different. Taking place in pre-Civil War United States, 12 Years a Slave follows the heartbreaking true story of Solomon Northup’s fight for survival. As a free black man living in Upstate New York, he is abducted and sold into slavery by a malicious slave owner. After 12 years of surviving and attempting to maintain his dignity, he meets a Canadian abolitionist who changes his life forever. The film was success with critics and with the Academy upon its release. The Plan B Entertainment produced film was also distributed by Fox Searchlight and grossed $187.7 million at the worldwide box office. The film also won three Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong’o, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Imitation Game (2014) – $233.5M
Biopics tend to do well with critics and even audiences depending on the subject. The World War II-centered film The Imitation Game was a success both critically and commercially. It follows English mathematical genius Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) as he races against time to try to crack the German Enigma code while also dealing with his troubled personal life. Turing was credited with pioneering modern computing, but the genius cryptanalyst was persecuted relentlessly in his private life as a gay man. The movie was produced by Black Bear Pictures and produced by the now-defunct Weinstein Company and earned $233.5 million across the globe.
Spotlight (2015) – $98.6M
Featuring a stellar cast including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and more, Spotlight is another indie biopic that performed well at the box office. The film follows the true story surrounding the Boston Globe and how the publication uncovered a massive scandal involving child molestation in the local Catholic Archdiocese that shook the Catholic Church to its core. Spotlight was produced by Participant Media, a production company dedicated to making films to spur social change. It was distributed to theaters by Open Road Films, which was originally formed by AMC and Regal Cinemas. The film grossed $98.6 million worldwide, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but it made back almost 5 times its budget.
Don’t Breathe (2016) – $157.1M
Directed by Fede Alvarez, the director of the Evil Dead remake in 2013, Don’t Breathe is a horror thriller that follows a trio of petty thieves as they break into a seemingly unsuspecting house. The thieves include Rocky (Jane Levy), her boyfriend Money (Daniel Zovatto), and their friend Alex (Dylan Minnette), and all three of them are in need of cash for different reasons. They decide to break into the home of a wealthy blind man assuming it will be an easy robbery, but it turns out to be anything but. It’s rare that a horror movie is praised by both critics and audiences, but this smart home invasion thriller achieved both. On a budget of just $9.9 million, the film grossed over $157.1 million globally after being produced by Stage 6 Films and Screen Gems and distributed theatrically by Sony Pictures Releasing.
The Shape of Water (2017) – $195.3M
Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is another Fox Searchlight Pictures production that performed well commercially. Set in the 1960s, the film follows a lonely janitor named Elisa (Sally Hawkins) who works in a top secret government research facility and forms a deep connection with an amphibious creature that is being held captive in the basement of the facility. TSOW took award season storm after its release in 2017, earning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Directing. It was also a huge success financially, grossing over $195.3 million at the worldwide box office, which is no small feat for any independent movie.
The Favorite (2018) – $95.5M
Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos has made a name for himself in the indie filmmaking world, most prominently with his horror mystery The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which he made with indie studio A24. In 2018, he directed the period piece dramedy The Favourite, which stars Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Olivia Coleman. The film is set in 18th century England and follows the displeased court of an ailing Queen Anne (Coleman) upon the arrival of a new servant named Abigail (Stone) who endears herself to the Queen. The film was made on a $15 million budget and turned over $80 million in profit, for a total worldwide gross of $95 million.
Parasite (2019) – $258.7M
Bong Joon-ho’s Academy Award-winning film Parasite is an enthralling watch. What starts out as a satirical comedy suddenly turns into a psychological thriller about halfway through. It’s done in such a clever and interesting way that you never see it coming and wind up even more engrossed than you were before. The South Korean film almost instantly became a worldwide phenomenon and attracted the attention of everyone from critics to casual moviegoers. Produced and distributed by South Korean companies Barunson E&A and CJ Entertainment, the dramedy turned thriller grossed over $258.7 million worldwide, which is an important achievement for both independent and foreign films.
