19th Independent Spirit Awards

19th Independent Spirit Awards
19th Independent Spirit Awards
Date	February 28, 2004
Site	U.S.
Hosted by	John Waters
Highlights
Best Film	Lost in Translation
Most awards	Lost in Translation (4)
Most nominations	In America (6)
	← 18th ; Independent Spirit Awards ; 20th →;

Last updated October 27, 2025

The 19th Independent Spirit Awards , honoring the best in independent filmmaking for 2003, were announced on February 28, 2004. It was hosted by John Waters.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]

Nominees and winners

Best Feature	Best Director
Lost in Translation American Splendor In America Raising Victor Vargas Shattered Glass	Sofia Coppola – Lost in Translation Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini – American Splendor Jim Sheridan – In America Peter Sollett – Raising Victor Vargas Gus Van Sant – Elephant
Best Male Lead	Best Female Lead
Bill Murray – Lost in Translation Peter Dinklage – The Station Agent Paul Giamatti – American Splendor Ben Kingsley – House of Sand and Fog Lee Pace – Soldier's Girl	Charlize Theron – Monster Agnes Bruckner – Blue Car Zooey Deschanel – All the Real Girls Samantha Morton – In America Elisabeth Moss – Virgin
Best Supporting Male	Best Supporting Female
Djimon Hounsou – In America Judah Friedlander – American Splendor Troy Garity – Soldier's Girl Alessandro Nivola – Laurel Canyon Peter Sarsgaard – Shattered Glass	Shohreh Aghdashloo – House of Sand and Fog Sarah Bolger – In America Patricia Clarkson – Pieces of April Hope Davis – The Secret Lives of Dentists Frances McDormand – Laurel Canyon
Best Screenplay	Best First Screenplay
Lost in Translation – Sofia Coppola American Splendor – Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini A Mighty Wind – Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy (and the rest of the cast) Pieces of April – Peter Hedges Shattered Glass – Billy Ray	The Station Agent – Tom McCarthy Blue Car – Karen Moncrieff Monster – Patty Jenkins Raising Victor Vargas – Peter Sollett and Eva Vives Thirteen – Catherine Hardwicke and Nikki Reed
Best First Feature	Best Debut Performance
Monster Bomb the System House of Sand and Fog Quattro Noza Thirteen	Nikki Reed – Thirteen Anna Kendrick – Camp Judy Marte – Raising Victor Vargas Victor Rasuk – Raising Victor Vargas Janice Richardson – Anne B. Real
Best Cinematography	Best Documentary Feature
In America – Declan Quinn Elephant – Harris Savides Northfork – M. David Mullen Quattro Noza– Derek Cianfrance Shattered Glass – Mandy Walker	The Fog of War Mayor of the Sunset Strip My Architect OT: Our Town Power Trip
Best Foreign Film
Whale Rider • New Zealand City of God • Brazil Lilya 4-Ever • Denmark The Magdalene Sisters • England/Ireland The Triplets of Belleville • France

Special awards

Callum Greene and Anthony Katagas – Happy Here and Now and Homework
Lauren Moews – Cabin Fever and Briar Patch

Someone to Watch Award

Andrew Bujalski – Funny Ha Ha

Ben Coccio – Zero Day
Ryan Eslinger –Madness and Genius

Special Distinction Award

21 Grams

Films with multiple wins and nominations

Films with multiple nominations

Nominations	Film
6	In America
5	American Splendor
5	Raising Victor Vargas
4	Lost in Translation
4	Shattered Glass
3	House of Sand and Fog
	Monster
	Pieces of April
	Thirteen
2	Anne B. Real
	Blue Car
	Elephant
	My Architect
	Soldier's Girl

Films with multiple wins

Nominations	Film
4	Lost in Translation
3	The Station Agent
2	In America
2	Monster

External links

References

↑ Susman, Gary (December 3, 2003). "'American' Beauties". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
↑ King, Susan (December 4, 2003). "The 'best' season begins". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
↑ ""In America," "American Splendor," and "Raising Victor Vargas" Top Nominees for 2004 IFP Independent". indieWire. December 4, 2003. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
↑ "'Lost in Translation' Captures Top Prizes at Spirit Awards". Los Angeles Times. February 29, 2004. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
↑ ""Lost In Translation" Tops Independent Spirit Awards, "Station Agent" Another Big Winner". indieWire. February 28, 2004. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
↑ Oakes, Keily (February 29, 2004). "Translation captures Spirit awards". BBC News. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
↑ Crow, Kim (March 1, 2004). "'Lost in Translation' finds success at Independent Spirit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

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[1] Susman, Gary (December 3, 2003). "'American' Beauties". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

[2] King, Susan (December 4, 2003). "The 'best' season begins". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

[3] ""In America," "American Splendor," and "Raising Victor Vargas" Top Nominees for 2004 IFP Independent". indieWire. December 4, 2003. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

[4] "'Lost in Translation' Captures Top Prizes at Spirit Awards". Los Angeles Times. February 29, 2004. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

[5] ""Lost In Translation" Tops Independent Spirit Awards, "Station Agent" Another Big Winner". indieWire. February 28, 2004. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

[6] Oakes, Keily (February 29, 2004). "Translation captures Spirit awards". BBC News. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

[7] Crow, Kim (March 1, 2004). "'Lost in Translation' finds success at Independent Spirit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 20, 2012.

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v t e Independent Spirit Awards
Current categories	Best Film Best Director Best Lead Performance Best Supporting Performance Best Breakthrough Performance Best Cinematography Best Editing Best Documentary Feature Best First Feature Best International Film Best Screenplay Best First Screenplay Best New Scripted Series Best Lead Performance in a New Scripted Series Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series John Cassavetes Award Robert Altman Award
Retired categories	Best Male Lead Best Female Lead Best Supporting Male Best Supporting Female Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series
Ceremonies	1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 (years are of film release; ceremonies are the following year)