Sean Baker and the Current State of Indie Film

On February 22, Sean Baker won Best Director at the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards for his film Anora.

He made an impassioned speech about the state of independent filmmaking in America that I think is applicable to independent filmmakers in many parts of the world, including the Arab region. It’s also relevant to artists who want to make and exhibit work but don’t get the financial support or space to do so because they don’t make specific types of work, or have large followings. As Baker says towards the end of his speech, “Let’s demand what we're worth.”

Below is the transcript:

I just want to use this moment to speak about the current state of indie film, specifically how it applies to creatives.

Indie film is struggling more now right now, more than ever. Gone are the days of DVD sales that allowed for greater risk to be taken on challenging films.

That revenue stream is gone and the only way to see significant back end is to have a box office hit with profits that far exceed what any of our films will ever see, unless you are Damien Leone and strike gold with a franchise like Terrifier. But as we all know that's an extreme rarity.

For me and I think for many of my peers, if we're lucky, the average number of years dedicated to making a film is around three. I'm going to say three, I think most of us have worked a lot longer on our films. But let's go with three.

If you are writer/director trying to break in right now, there's a good chance you're making a film for free, or making next to nothing on production or sale.

How do you support yourself with little or no income for three years? Let's say you're lucky enough to be with the guilds. Take the DGA and WGA minimums, and then divide them by three, take out taxes and possibly percentages that you owe your agents, managers and lawyers, and what are you left with is just simply not enough to get by on in today's world. Especially if one is trying to support a family. I personally do not have children but I know for a fact that if I did I would not be able to make the movies that I make.

Why am I talking about this today? Because I'm an indie film lifer and I know that there are other indie film lifers in this room. Those who don't see indie films as calling cards, those who don't make these films to land a series or a studio film.

Some of us want to make personal films that are intended for theatrical release with subject matter that would never be greenlit by the big studios.

We want complete artistic freedom and the freedom to cast who is right for the role, not who is forced to cast considering box office value or how many how many followers they have on social media.

The system has to change because this is simply unsustainable.  We are creating product that creates jobs and revenue for the entire industry. We shouldn't be barely getting by. Creatives that are involved with projects that span years have to begin getting much higher upfront fees, and again because backend simply can't be relied upon any longer.

We have to demand that. If not, indie films will simply become calling card films and I know that's not what I signed up for.

So let's demand what we're worth. I know that if you’re in this room you've proven that you’re worth it, so let's not undervalue ourselves any longer.

We can work together. It can be filmmakers working with agencies, working with financiers, film sales companies and distributors to make indie film sustainable for creatives and keep indie film alive.

This is for all the indie film lifers who are holding on and fighting the good fight.

Thank you so much.