PS: Indie Spirit Awards 2026 — Best Microbudget Film (Face-Off)

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)?

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:

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 rules would be later changed 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