Francis Ford Coppola , long an advocate of new technologies like non-linear editing and digital cameras , said in 2007 that " cinema is escaping being controlled by the financier , and that 's a wonderful thing . You do n't have to go hat-in-hand to some film distributor and say , ' Please will you let me make a movie ? ' " In the 2010s , with both the increased production and waning interest of major studio sequels , more and more independent films have been at the forefront of major award wins . The upset Best Picture Oscar wins for '' Spotlight '' at the 2016 awards , and '' Moonlight '' at the 2017 awards had , and continues to have , a major impact on box office intake on major studio films in the present era , proving that the ever-growing success of independent films is not dependent on any particular format ( Cinemascope - , 3-D , or large format-shot films )
2017 awards
89th Academy Awards
Independent film