 Logo used since 2016 | |
.webp) Screenshot of the website in December 2024 | |
Type of site | Independent filmmaking news |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Penske Media Corporation |
| Editor | Dana Harris-Bridson |
| URL | indiewire |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | Newsletter: 15 July 1996; 29 years ago (1996-07-15) Website: January 12, 1998; 27 years ago (1998-01-12) |
| Current status | Online |
Content license | All rights reserved. Use permitted with copyright notice intact. |
IndieWire is afilm industry andfilm criticism website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantlyindependent film, although its coverage has grown to "include all aspects of Hollywood and the expanding universes of TV and streaming".[1]IndieWire is part ofPenske Media Corporation.
The originalIndieWire newsletter launched on July 15, 1996, billing itself as "the daily news service forindependent film". Following in the footsteps of various web- andAOL-based editorial ventures, IndieWire was launched as a free daily email publication in the summer of 1996 by New York- and Los Angeles-based filmmakers and writersEugene Hernandez, Mark Rabinowitz, Cheri Barner,Roberto A. Quezada, and Mark L. Feinsod.[2]
Initially distributed to a few hundred subscribers, the readership grew rapidly, passing 6,000 in late 1997.[3]
In January 1997,IndieWire made its first appearance at theSundance Film Festival to begin their coverage of film festivals; it offeredindieWIRE: On The Scene print dailies in addition to online coverage. Printed on site, in low-tech black-and-white style, the publication was able to scoop traditional Hollywood trade dailiesVariety andThe Hollywood Reporter due to the delay these latter publications had for being printed in Los Angeles.[citation needed]
The site was acquired bySnagfilms in July 2008.[4] On January 8, 2009,IndieWire editor Eugene Hernandez announced that the site was going through a re-launch that has been "entirely re-imagined".
Penske Media acquiredIndieWire on January 19, 2016. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.[5]
The focus ofIndieWire initially was independent film, but has grown to encompass mainstream film, television, and streaming media.[6][1]IndieWire is part ofPenske Media.
It has a staff of 26 people, including publisher James Israel, editor-in-chief Dana Harris-Bridson, editorial director Kate Erbland, digital director Christian Blauvelt, executive editor Ryan Lattanzio, and editor-at-largeAnne Thompson.[7]
InWired, in 1997, Janelle Brown wrote: "Currently, IndieWire has little to no competition: trades likeThe Hollywood Reporter andVariety may cover independent film, but from a Hollywood perspective, hidden by a huge amount of mainstream news. As filmmaker Doug Wolens points out, IndieWire is one of the few places where filmmakers can consistently and reliably keep on top of often-ignored small film festivals, which films are opening and what other filmmakers are thinking."[3]
In 2002,Forbes magazine recognizedIndieWire, along with seven other entrants, in the "Cinema Appreciation" category, as a "Best of the Web Pick", describing its best feature as "boards teeming with filmmakers" and its worst as "glacial search engine".[8]IndieWire has been praised byRoger Ebert.[9]
In 2012,IndieWire won theWebby Award in the Movie and Film category.[10]
In 2022,IndieWire's entire staff was honored as the Best Website, Traditional News Organization by theLos Angeles Press Club at its annual Southern California Journalism Awards, with judges noting that the site is "full of analysis of entertainment issues, not to mention the depth of most of the pieces that immediately pop up on the site. Quite compelling and thought-provoking."[11]
IndieWire Honors stands out as a one-of-a-kindawards celebration. Hosted inLos Angeles, this flagship gathering from IndieWire spotlights top achievements in innovativefilmmaking andtelevision, embodying the site's passion for honoring artists, daring ideas, uncompromised originality, and narratives that resonate deeply. The December 2023 ceremony paid tribute to standout figures inmovies andseries, from distinctive directors likeGreta Gerwig forBarbie,Todd Haynes withMay December, andChad Stahelski onJohn Wick: Chapter 4, to emerging talents redefining narratives, includingLee Sung Jin behindBeef andNathan Fielder alongsideBenny Safdie forThe Curse.
Being at anIndieWire Honors means catching unforgettable highlights, likeFielder picking up theWavelength Award with his quip (“I find it hard to get on anyone’s wavelength. Now I’m getting an award for being the best at it.”) orLily Gladstone leveraging herPerformance Award address to advocate for release of herSundance projectFancy Dance (which succeeded).In June 2024,IndieWire launched its inauguralspring Honors event, dedicated solely to television. The lineup showcased impressive diversity:Visionary Award winnerQuinta Brunson, a fresh comedic force who’s solidified her status as a generational talent throughAbbott Elementary, joined byVanguard Award honoreeCarol Burnett, whose 50-plus-year legacy inspired paths like Brunson’s and continues with memorable roles, such as inPalm Royale.
TheDecember 2024 film-focused Honors recognizedSelena Gomez,Pamela Anderson,Jennifer Lopez,RaMell Ross,Denis Villeneuve, and additional luminaries in its most recent iteration.InJune 2025, a fresh group of television standouts—includingKathy Bates,Ben Stiller,Natasha Lyonne,Mara Brock Akil,Colin Farrell, and others—were feted at the latestsmall-screen edition.
TheIndieWire Critic's Poll is an annual poll byIndieWire that recognizes the best in American and international films in a ranking of 10 films on 15 different categories. The winners are chosen by the votes of the critics fromIndieWire and other invited critics from around the world.
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