Indie Spirit Stats

With 12 Years a Slave leading the nomination tally for the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards, and thus maintaining its "frontrunner" status, let's have a look back at the Best Feature winners at the indie kudo-fest throughout history.  Only two films have won the Best Feature prize without being nominated for any Academy Awards.  Stats below:

A Brief History of the Indie Spirit Awards

• 2013: Silver Linings Playlist- directed by David O. Russell- nominated for 8 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to Argo); won Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence.)
• 2012: The Artist- directed by Michel Hazanavicious- won 5 Oscars including Best Picture; remains only the second film to date to win both the Spirit and Oscar. Debatable rule bend to include The Artist as the Spirits' eligibility requirements state all features must be American made.
• 2011: Black Swan- directed by Darren Aronofsky- nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture; won Best Actress (Natalie Portman.)  Of Note: Oscar champ The King's Speech won the Best International Film prize at the Spirits.
• 2010: Precious- directed by Lee Daniels- nominated for 6 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to The Hurt Locker); won Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique) and Screenplay.
• 2009: The Wrestler- directed by Darren Aronofsky- nominated for 2 Oscars including Best Actor (Mickey Rourke.)
• 2008: Juno- directed by Jason Reitman- nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to No Country For Old Men); won Best Screenplay.
• 2007: Little Miss Sunshine- directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris- nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to The Departed); won Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin) and Screenplay.
• 2006: Brokeback Mountain- directed Ang Lee- nominated for 8 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to Crash); won Best Director (Lee), Screenplay and Score.
• 2005: Sideways- directed by Alexander Payne- nominated for 5 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to Million Dollar Baby); won Best Screenplay.
• 2004: Lost in Translation- directed by Sophia Coppola- nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King); won Screenplay.
• 2003: Far From Heaven- directed by Todd Haynes- nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Actress (Julianne Moore.)
• 2002: Memento- directed by Christopher Nolan- nominated for 2 Oscars including Best Screenplay.
• 2001: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon- directed by Ang Lee- nominated for 10 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to Gladiator); won Foreign Film.  Rule bend to include Crouching Tiger as the Spirits' eligibility requirements state all features must be American made.
• 2000: Election- directed by Alexander Payne- nominated for 1 Oscar (Best Screenplay.)
• 1999: Gods & Monsters- directed by Bill Condon- nominated for 3 Oscars including Best Actor (Ian McKellen); won Best Screenplay.
• 1998: The Apostle- directed by Robert Duvall- nominated for 1 Oscar (Best Actor.)
• 1997: Fargo- directed by Joel & Ethan Coen- nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to The English Patient); won Best Actress (Frances McDormand) and Screenplay.
• 1996: Leaving Las Vegas- directed by Mike Figgis- nominated for 4 Oscars including Director, Screenplay and Actress (Elisabeth Shue; won Best Actor (Nicolas Cage.)
• 1995: Pulp Fiction- directed by Quentin Tarantino- nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture (lost to Forrest Gump); won Screenplay.
• 1994: Short Cuts- directed by Robert Altman- nominated for 1 Oscar (Best Director.)
• 1993: The Player- directed by Robert Altman- nominated for 3 Oscars including Director and Screenplay.
• 1992: Rambling Rose- directed by Martha Coolidge- nominated for 2 Oscars including Best Actress (Laura Dern.)
• 1991: The Grifters- directed by Stephen Frears- nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Director, Best Actress (Anjelica Huston) and Best Supporting Actress (Annette Bening.)
• 1990: sex, lies & videotape- directed by Steven Soderbergh- nominated for 1 Oscar for Best Screenplay.
• 1989: Stand & Deliver- directed by Ramón Menéndez- nominated for 1 Oscar- Best Actor (Edward James Olmos.)
• 1988: River's Edge- directed by Tim Hunter
• 1987: Platoon- directed by Oliver Stone- Won 4 Oscars including Best Picture; nominated for 8 total Oscars; the only film to win both top prizes until The Artist.
• 1986: After Hours- directed by Martin Scorsese

TIFF Stats

The People's Choice Award win for 12 Years a Slave for the 2013 Toronto Film Festival raises its awards profile times ten.  Past winners of the award include The King's Speech and Slumdog Millionaire.  Here's a look back at the history of the award and how it correlates with the big dog:

2013: 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)
2012: Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell)- nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Picture; won Best Actress (Jennifer Lawrence)
2011: Where Do We Go Now (Nadine Labaki)
2010: The King's Speech (Tom Hooper)- won 4 Academy Awards including Picture.
2009: Precious (Lee Daniels)- nominated for 6 Academy Awards; won 2 including Best Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique)
2008: Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle)- won 8 Academy Awards including Picture
2007: Eastern Promises (David Croenberg)- nominated for Best Actor (Viggo Mortensen)
2006: Bella (Alejandro Monteverde)
2005: Tsotsi (Gavin Hood)- won Best Foreign Language Film Oscar
2004: Hotel Rwanda (Terry George)- nominated for 3 Academy Awards including Best Actor (Don Cheadle)
2003: The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (Takeshi Kitano)
2002: Whale Rider (Nikki Caro)- nominated for Best Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
2001: Amélie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)- nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Original Screenplay and Foreign-Language Film
2000: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Ang Lee)- nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture; won 4 Oscars including Foreign-Language Film
1999: American Beauty (Sam Mendes)- won 5 Academy Awards including Best Picture
1998: Life is Beautiful (Roberto Benigni)- nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Picture; won 3 Oscars including Actor (Benigni) and Foreign Film.
1997: The Hanging Garden (Thom Fitzgerald)
1996: Shine (Scott Hicks)- nominated for 7 Oscars including Picture; won Best Actor (Geoffrey Rush)
1995: Antonia's Line (Marleen Gorris)- won Best Foreign Language Film
1994: Priest (Antonia Bird)
1993: The Snapper (Stephen Frears)
1992: Strictly Ballroom (Baz Luhrmann)
1991: The Fisher King (Terry Gilliam)- nominated for 5 Oscars; won Supporting Actress (Mercedes Ruehl)

1990: Cyrano de Bergerac (Jean-Paul Rappeneau)- nominated for 5 Oscars including Foreign Film and Best Actor (Gerard Depardieu); won Costume Design
1989: Roger & Me (Michael Moore)
1988: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Pedro Almódovar)- nominated for Best Foreign Film
1987: The Princess Bride (Rob Reiner)- nominated for Best Original Song
1986: The Decline of the American Empire (Denys Arcand)- nominated for Best Foreign Film
1985: The Official Story (Luis Puenzo)- nominated for 2 Oscars including Original Screenplay; won Best Foreign Film
1984: Places in the Heart (Robert Benton)- nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture; won 2 including Best Actress (Sally Field-- her famous "you like me" speech)
1983: The Big Chill (Lawrence Kasden)- nominated for 3 Oscars including Picture
1982: Tempest (Paul Mazursky)
1981: Chariots of Fire (Hugh Hudson)- nominated for 7 Oscars; won 4 including Picture
1980: Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession (Nicholas Roeg)
1979: Best Boy (Ira Wohl)
1978: Girlfriends (Claudia Weill)