PS: Indie Spirit Awards 2026 — Best Independent Microbudget Feature Film (Ready)

Film Independent's Indie Spirit Awards 2026 — Sunday, February 15, 2026

Which of the 2026 Indie Spirit Award nominees for 'Best Feature Film Budgeted at Less Than $1 Million' at the 41st Film Independent Spirit Awards (2026) do you think should win the Gena Rowlands Award (formerly known as the John Cassavetes Award), or alternatively, which movie are you most interested in watching, if you have not seen any of the nominees?

The 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best independent films of 2025, will be hosted by actress and comedian Ego Nwodim at the Hollywood Palladium theater in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, USA. The entertainment awards ceremony will livestream on the YouTube channels of both IMDb and Film Independent on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 5pm EST / 2pm PST. Get complete coverage of the 40th Film Independent Spirit Awards @ IMDb's Award Central Indy Spirit Awards Guide.

Live Poll: TBD

QuickView List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls4152313322/copy/

Poll List: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls4152313322/

*In 2000, this category was created for the 15th Independent Spirit Awards and was originally called the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature (Under $500,000). The category would be later be split with a separate first feature award for directorial debuts, so that any feature film budgeted under $500,000 could be eligible (regardless of how many films the director has made). The first recipient of the award was the horror film, 'The Blair Witch Project'. In 2023, due to inflation over time the ceiling for qualification was raised to any indie feature film budgeted under $1,000,000. In 2025, at the 40th Independent Spirit Awards, it was revealed to be renamed the Gena Rowlands Award (renamed after Cassavetes's wife). Source: Wikipedia

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Oldest First

Selected Oldest First

Tsarstepan

4.5K Messages

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92.4K Points

2 months ago

1. Eephus

2. Boys Go to Jupiter

3. The Baltimorons

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urbanemovies

10.7K Messages

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171.6K Points

@Tsarstepan

I would pretty much agree. I have seen those three plus Familiar Touch. I thought they were all pretty tightly bunched together rating-wise (3.5/5) and I am even more impressed now that I know they were all made for under $1m.

FYI, Rotten Tomatoes rated the best baseball movies of all-time over the summer (editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/best-baseball-movies/) and their editors ranked 'Eephus' in the top spot. I took issue with its #1 rank, as I thought it was above-average, but could easily regard a dozen or more baseball films as better.

(edited)

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1 month ago

rubyfruit76

Champion

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8.5K Messages

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204.6K Points

1 month ago

Hi Urb, I like this one, although I haven't yet been able to see any of these. Three are on my "to see" list, though, and I'm thinking about doing a free trial of Mubi so that I can see more of them.

Since so few people have rated these and I'm guessing that they're not yet available for many people to see (for example, it doesn't look like 'This Island' is streaming anywhere yet), perhaps ask which of them one would be most interested to see? I like when polls act as resources. : )

(edited)

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urbanemovies

10.7K Messages

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171.6K Points

@rubyfruit76 I get the point you are making, but I would oppose making the change, since the poll is a) an awards poll, which the question is always, who should win? b) supports independent and microbudget films, which by their nature garner fewer viewers c) their viewership will grow once they are available on more streaming services and were not wide releases d) this is a niche poll aimed at the more avid cinephiles and excellence in film (which I think alloting 5%+ of the selected imdb.com polls should be a goal).

This poll is not intended to have mass appeal, it is intended to highlight independent films and the uniqueness of an award that targets microbudget filmmaking.

Regardless, I have altered the question to:

Which of the 2026 Indie Spirit Award nominees for 'Best Feature Film Budgeted at Less Than $1 Million' at the 41st Film Independent Spirit Awards (2026) do you think should win the Gena Rowlands Award, or alternatively, which movie are you most interested in watching, if you have not seen any of the nominees?

FYI, all five had prestigious film festival premieres, and two titles got relatively big limited North American releases: The Baltimorons (400 screens), Eephus (100 screens)

The Baltimorons Streaming (AMC+, Sundance+)

$825,000 North American Box Office

premiere: 2025 SXSW Film Festival

Eephus Streaming (Mubi)

$500,000 North American Box Office

premiere: 2025 Cannes Film Festival

Boys Go to Jupiter Streaming (VOD) ie Prime

$200,000 North American Box Office

premiere: 2025 Tribeca Filim Festival

Familiar Touch Streaming (Mubi)

$125,000 North American Box Office

premiere: 2024 Venice Film Festival

This Island Streaming (N/A)

Not Released (still showing on film festival circut)

premiere: 2025 Tribeca Filim Festival

(edited)

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1 month ago

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urbanemovies

PS: Indie Spirit Awards 2026 — Best Independent Microbudget Feature Film (Ready)

Tsarstepan

urbanemovies

rubyfruit76

urbanemovies

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