Most people know the likes of Zack Snyder, Ava DuVernay, Christopher Nolan, — high-profile filmmakers at the helm of the big budget movies getting all the attention. While these talented folks are busy making films destined to be top grossers, there are up-and-coming indie filmmakers elsewhere using their own skills and imagination to create compelling stories. Below you’ll find only a handful of the many great independent filmmakers currently honing their own style while making films worthy of your time.
Jordan Peele
This New York City native had already proven his comedic prowess via the popular sketch series Key & Peele, which he co-created and starred in. But in 2017, Peele took a stab at the director’s seat and found success with his debut horror film Get Out, which received critical acclaim and earned numerous nominations, not to mention an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Peele is currently producing another horror project, an HBO series titled Lovecraft Country.
Nacho Vigalondo
Vigalondo has been in the filmmaking business since 2003 after releasing his Oscar-nominated short film 7:35 in the Morning. The Spanish filmmaker has since worked on a number of films that managed to impress, including 2007 sci-fi thriller Timecrimes and Colossal, a 2016 homage to the Godzilla franchise praised for its genre mash-up and a great performance by Anne Hathaway. Whatever Vigalondo is cooking up next, fans of strange, genre-defying sci-fi films should definitely check it out.
Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
Gordon and Nanjiani served as writers and co-producers for The Big Sick, one of the highest grossing indie flicks of 2017. The romantic comedy film turned a budget of $5 million into $56 million, while also earning universal praise for its entertaining mix of humor and heartbreak. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards.
Diandrea “Dee” Rees
https://youtu.be/xucHiOAa8Rs
Rees has been making a name for herself for the last decade with a number of acclaimed projects. Last year she became a must-watch director with Mudbound, a period drama that received nominations everywhere from the Golden Globe Awards to the 90th Academy Awards. Rees also became the first female nominee for the American Society of Cinematographer’s Outstanding Achievement award.
Lone Scherfig
This Danish film director and screenwriter has been using her amazing talents for almost three decades. Her most recent film, a British war comedy-drama based on the 2009 novel by Lissa Evans, is among her best. Their Finest currently holds a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 89 percent and was widely praised for its great plot twist and strong chemistry between actors.
Taylor Sheridan
https://youtu.be/zN9PDOoLAfg
This Oscar-nominated actor and writer is mostly known for his role as Deputy Chief David Hale in FX television series Sons of Anarchy. In 2017 he made his directorial debut with Wind River, a neo-Western murder mystery that grossed $40 million from a budget of $11 million. The smart writing, compelling characters, and a story based on actual accounts of sexual assault helped propel Sheridan forward as one of the most promising filmmakers out there.
Who are your favorite up-and-coming indie filmmakers? Share your list with us in the comments below! And learn how to make your own film at New York Film Academy.