Great topic because it lies at the heart of what makes film such an important popular art form. Independent films are always on the ragged edge of extinction. They've got to fight for venture capital, find creative and inexpensive ways to tell stories that studios see as lacking commercial potential, and then fight for theaters to exhibit them. The thing all independent filmmakers share is passion — an obsessive, irrational belief in themselves and the stories they feel compelled to bring to the screen (John Cassavetes mortgaging his house to make Faces comes immediately to mind). They don't make these films for money; they make them because they must.

While some on the list of 30 films put forth by The Independent Film & Television Alliance certainly qualify as independent (e.g., My Left Foot, Reservoir Dogs,Sex, Lies and Video Tape, Hurt Locker) the only qualification the IFTA seems to require is that these films weren't made by a major American studio. But assuming truly independent films are those made on minimal budgets without bankable stars and therefore no guarantee of ever getting a release, my list of memorable Indies would have to include (a random sampling in no particular order):

The Visitor, The Station Agent, The Brothers McMullin, Hoosiers, Stranger Than Paradise, Tender Mercies, The Full Monte, Paris Texas, The Return of Secaucus Seven, Mean Streets, The Piano, The Long Good Friday, Raising Arizona, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Il Postino, The Celebration, American Splendor, Winter's Bone, The Professional, Diner, Airplane, This Is Spinal Tap, Billy Elliot, Valley of Ellah, Mad Max, Dead Man, Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai, Faces, Husbands, Brother from Another Planet, If… and the list goes on.

Thanks for the opportunity. Looking forward to discussing it further.

In no particular order –

Bad Timing, Taxi Driver, Aberdeen, Blood Simple, My Summer of Love, Pulp Fiction, The Magdalan Sisters, Lilya4Ever, Secrets and Lies, Sweetie, Reprise, Half Nelson, Frozen River, Jesus' Son, Withnail & I, My Life As A Dog, The Dreamlife of Angels, Ratcatcher, Morvern Callar, Mifune's Last Song, Fish Tank, The Beat That My Heart Skipped, Run Lola Run, Memento.

Cooley High–1970's

Sankofa—1990's

To Sleep with Anger —1980's

What exactly is “Truly Indie Film" anyhow?” The definition seems a rather elusive thing. Unless it is simply defined as “any film that isn’t backed by a major studio?" In which case, the definition is still quite broad and robust, no? Is Indie Film a movie, or is it an institution?

If I can grasp the issue, Truly Independent Film has been around as long as films existence. This can be proven by the mere fact that films were made prior to the birth of the Hollywood Studio Industry. I suppose the question rings, “Does it have a different meaning these days?” Would “Metropolis” be considered “true Indie,” or “Triumph of the Will?” How about Roger Corman's catalog of works? George Romero or Sergio Leone? All of which have a magnum opus that must certainly be worthy of honorable mention. Even, “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman?”

Genre pictures indeed, however, "Independent" to the gills. How about anything from HBO for that matter? Playboy? Really good porn? How about all the films of Europe? Not to mention India, Australia, Iran, Israel, Thailand, Zimbabwe, Uruguay? Have you seen the Giant Robot's that Destroy Montevideo for $500.00? Youtube it! Now that’s filmmaking – and truly, truly, truly independent!

One might feel that there is an important distinction between “Truly Indie Film,” and "Truly, Truly, Truly Indie Film," just for arguments sake. Can a film with a budget of twenty million dollars, ten million dollars, "truly" be "Independent?” Someone's parting with that kind of cash and would allow the film to be "independent?" I suppose if the definition, as stated above, was correct, the answer would have to be, yes! The film, regardless of budget, acquired backing from “non-studio” entities… So, there you go, its “Indie!” However, if we believe the definition to include the actual meaning of “Independent,” then I would venture to say, “not… truly…"

Many Indie films pick up Distribution that belongs in some part to the studio system, somehow, somewhere, along the way. (Please correct me if I am wrong.) Otherwise, we probably wouldn't have ever heard of them.

But, how about these obvious and not so obvious choices? The Bicycle Thief or Battleship Potemkin? Does Bolshevik money count as Indie? How about, Pathfinders: In The Company of Strangers? Green River? The Sinatra Club? Or Thor at the Bus Stop! All most certainly Indie films.

Maybe Truly Indie Films are just that — Truly Independent! Driven only by the resourcefulness and "passion" of the filmmakers, without the need of studio financing, or more importantly, approval! Many of which will never come into our peripheral. Many of these films may never have ample opportunity to be very “influential,” unless we rely strictly on the notion that, if it’s a good film, we’ll hear about it through our plethora of resources, after all we're all really on the inside of this issue, and hence, we will be afforded the opportunity to watch it, critique it, and pass it along if we deem it is worthy of such an honor.

If one were really curious though, and in search for truly truly good indie cinema, (maybe not the most influential indie films, as many are still works still in progress), but truly looking for really Indie films, American style, then take a gander at the likes of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Roenke, Virginia… Or Essex, Montana… somewhere down by the river… Or Portland, Oregon… where you can find, in the rolling hills and farmlands that surround it, on any given weekend, a squad of Paratroopers descending upon the Nazi’s a half hour before the invasion of Normandy, circa 1944! Paid for and made by a small group of overly passionate chaps with day jobs. Who occasionally meet when time and financing permits, to make their movie.

When a filmmaker reaches into his/her pocket, grabs a Leatherman and a camera, coupled with a little bit of knowledge, imagination, blood and sweat, even some tears… When he or she sets out, talking others into a collaboration, and delivers a film, with production value to boot… That's the kind of truly truly Indie stuff I'm talking about. And hopefully the distinction between Indie Film and Truly Indie film that needs to be made.

The Celebration and Brothers McMullen seem fine examples of just such a thing. (Also an example of why a cinematographer is imperative, as apparently neither film had one.) But they, or he, or she, made their movie, without the help, or more importantly, without the permission of Hollywood…

Influential Films? Not always… But they exist! And they exist for the sole purpose that someone rallied a battle cry and summoned a few warriors, (or good buddies), and made their movie… Now isn’t that truly, truly, truly Inide Cinema?