indie - "any motion picture financed and produced completely autonomous of all studios, regardless of size" (Greg Merritt)
What is called independent film today has had many other names in the past, including avantgarde, underground and experimental cinema. Contrary to popular belief, independent filmmaking did not begin with the collapse of the Hollywood studio system; in fact, independent film has existed in Hollywood since the 1920s. Today, independent film is sometimes indistinguishable from major studio movies and often dominates during award season.
Identification
The most commonly accepted definition of independent film is that these movies tend to be less commercial than Hollywood blockbusters; also, they make a far more personal statement on behalf of the director or screenwriter, and are made on a significantly lower budget.
Significance
The significance of independent film has always been that it is as the forefront of revolution in the medium. What appears to be commonplace methods of making films--from raising money to casting actors--and what today is usually regarded as conventional filmmaking techniques like flashbacks or shooting scenes in an improvisational manner and without a script - all began as experimental moviemaking by independent filmmakers.
History
Its origins perhaps lay in the perceived decrease of opportunities for personal filmmaking in the post-1970s film industry. The organizations such as the Independent Feature Project and the Sundance Film Festival in Park City were founded to encourage and promote independent work. A major breakthrough was achieved when an American independent film, sex, lies and videotape (1989), the first feature by Steven Soderbergh, won the top prize at the Cannes festival in France. In the 1990s independent directors began to develop projects that were closer in style to popular Hollywood genres such as the gangster film and post-World War II film noir. These proved extremely popular with Cannes festival juries, who awarded their top prize to David Lynch’s Wild at Heart in 1990, Barton Fink by the Coen brothers in 1991, and
Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction in 1994. Tarantino’s other films include Reservoir Dogs
(1992), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004). Among the
Coen brothers’ works were Miller’s Crossing (1990), Fargo (1995), The Big Lebowski (1998),
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001), and No Country for
Old Men (2007; Academy Award for best picture).
Independent Film Festivals
Since independent film budgets really begin to pale in comparison to mainstream Hollywood fare in the arena of advertising and marketing costs, most of these movies must achieve breakthrough status by performing well at film festivals. One of the most famous independent film festivals in America is Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival. Some people who felt that the Sundance festival was beginning to move too much toward the mainstream decided to focus on finding more undiscovered and unknown talent rather than relying on independent film made by recognizable personalities.

Independent Spirit Awards
The most famous award for independent film is known as the Independent Spirit Award.
These awards have been handed out since 1985 when Martin Scorsese's "After Hours" was the first winner of the Best Picture award.
50 Greatest American Independent Films
1.Pulp Fiction (1994)
2.Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
3.sex, lies and videotape (1989)
4. Easy Rider (1969)
26.Blue Valentine (2010)
27.Rushmore (1998)
28.The Passion Of The Christ (2004)
29.Paranormal Activity (2007)
5.Reservoir Dogs (1992)
6.The Usual Suspects (1995)
30.Brick (2005)
31.Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer (1986)
7.The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) 32.Lost In Translation (2003)
8.Mean Streets (1973) 33.Sideways (2004)
9.Donnie Darko (2001)
10.Blue Velvet (1986)
34.Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
35.Swingers (1996)
11.The Blair Witch Project (1999)
12.Apocalypse Now (1979)
13.Fargo (1996)
14.The Terminator (1984)
15.Clerks (1994)
16.Memento (2000)
17.Hoop Dreams (1994)
18.Halloween (1978)
19.Do The Right Thing (1989)
20.Drive (2011)
36.Pink Flamingos (1972)
37.Killer Of Sheep (1977)
38.Half Nelson (2006)
39.Take Shelter (2011)
40.Black Swan (2010)
41.THX-1138 (1971)
42.Lone Star (1996)
43.Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)
44.Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (1999)
45.Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
21.The Evil Dead (1981)
22.Being John Malkovich (1999)
23.Slacker (1991)
24.Winter's Bone (2010)
25.King Of New York (1990)
46.Primer (2004)
47.Meek's Cutoff (2010)
48.Kids (1995)
49.Hannah Takes The Stairs (2007)
50.Martha Marcy May Maylene (2011)

Directed by
Produced by
Screenplay by
Starring
Music by
Release date
Running time
Quentin Tarantino
Lawrence Bender
Roger Avary, Quentin Tarantino
John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson
Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel
Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer
Maria de Medeiros, Ving Rhames
Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette
Christopher Walken, Bruce Willis
Kristen Becht, Rolf Johnson
October 14, 1994
154 minutes
Plot
Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega are two hitmen who are out to retrieve a suitcase stolen from their employer, mob boss Marsellus Wallace. Wallace has also asked Vincent to take his wife Mia out a few days later when Wallace himself will be out of town. Butch
Coolidge is an aging boxer who is paid by Wallace to lose his next fight. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together comprising of a series of funny, bizarre and uncalled-for incidents.

Tasks for Discussion
I.
1) Comment the film’s slogan «Just because you are a character doesn't mean you have character.»
2) What European city is spoken of in the film? And how it’s connected with screenplay?
3) Write your impression.
II. QUIZ:
1. Vincent Vega lets Jules Winnfield know that he doesn't watch T.V. However, WE know that he has seen at least ONE show. What is it?
1) Fox Force Five
2) Cops
3) The Fall Guy
4) Green Acres
2. What is the name of the cafe Pumpkin and Honey Bunny hold up?
1) Hawthorne Grill
2) Toluca Grill
3) Inglewood Cafe
4) Lim's Café
3.What floor was Tony Rocky Horror thrown from?
1) 4 th
2) 5th
3) 3rd
4) 2 nd
4. How long did it take Winston Wolf to get to Jimmy's house? (What was displayed on the screen as he rounded the corner)?
1) 9min 34sec
2) 9min 37sec
3) 9min 32sec
4) 9min 38sec
5. What type of Acura does the Wolf drive?

1) nsx
2) gst
3) svo
4) gsx
6. What band sings the version of "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" in the movie?
1) Urge Overkill
2) Mr. Big
3) Extreme
4) Poison
7. What is Steve Buscemi's role in "Pulp Fiction"?
1) Security guard / police officer
2) Waiter
3) Pawn shop owner
4) Boxing coach
8. What college is portrayed on the t-shirt that Vincent Vega gets from Jimmy?
1) Fresno State University (Bulldogs)
2) University of Southern California (Trojans)
3) University of California Los Angeles (Bruins)
4) University of California Santa Cruz (Banana Slugs)
9. What type of car do Mia and Vincent sit in inside Jackrabbit Slim's?
1) Oldsmobile
2) Chrysler
3) Chevrolet
4) Studebaker
10. What is Jimmy's aunt's first name?
1) Margaret
2)Gertrude
3) Mavis
4) Ginny

III. WHO said that?
A.
What's wrong with that? Nobody ever robs restaurants. Why not? Bars, liquor stores, gas stations; you get your head blown off sticking up one of them. Restaurants, on the other hand, you catch with their pants down. They're not expecting to get robbed. Not as expectant, anyway.
B.
I'll just walk the earth. You know, walk the earth, meet people... get into adventures.
Like Caine from "Kung Fu.
C.
Are you calling me on the cellular phone? I don't know you. Who is this? Don't come here, I'm hanging up the phone! Prank caller, prank caller!
D.
Warm. Warmer. Disco!
E.
So what does it feel like to kill a man with your bare hands? It's a topic I'm very interested in.
F.
So you wanna hear a joke, its not funny so you wont laugh, so there are three tomatoes walking down the street mamma tomato pappa tomato and baby tomato, so baby tomato starts lagging behind and pappa tomato gets mad and goes back and squashes baby tomato and says ketchup.

9 – 2
10 - 4
KEY FOR QUIZ
1 - 2
2 - 1
3 - 1
4 – 2
5 – 1
6 – 1
7 – 2
8 – 4