The Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Female is given in recognition of achievements by actresses in leading roles in independent films. Winners and Nominees 1980s *1985: Geraldine Page - The Trip to Bountiful **Rosanna Arquette - After Hours **Laura Dern - Smooth Talk **Lori Singer - Trouble in Mind *1986: Isabella Rossellini - Blue Velvet **Elpidia Carrillo - Salvador **Patricia Charbonneau - Desert Hearts **Laura Dern - Blue Velvet **Tracy Camilla Johns - She's Gotta Have It *1987: Sally Kirkland - Anna **Lillian Gish - The Whales of August **Debra Sandlund - ' **Louise Smith - Working Girls **Joanne Woodward - The Glass Menagerie *1988: Jodie Foster - Five Corners **Ricki Lake - Hairspray **Nobu McCarthy - The Wash **Julia Roberts - Mystic Pizza **Meg Ryan - Promised Land *1989: Andie MacDowell - Sex, Lies, and Videotape **Annabella Sciorra - True Love **Youki Kudoh - Mystery Train **Kelly Lynch - Drugstore Cowboy **Winona Ryder - Heathers 1990s *1990: Anjelica Huston - The Grifters **Mary Alice - To Sleep with Anger **Eszter Balint - Bail Jumper **Carolyn Farina - Metropolitan **Joanne Woodward - Mr. & Mrs. Bridge *1991: Judy Davis - Impromptu **Patsy Kensit - Twenty-One **Mimi Rogers - The Rapture **Lili Taylor - Bright Angel **Lily Tomlin - The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe *1992: Fairuza Balk - Gas Food Lodging **Edie Falco - Laws of Gravity **Catherine Keener - Johnny Suede **Sheryl Lee - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me **Cynda Williams - One False Move *1993: Ashley Judd - Ruby in Paradise **Suzy Amis - The Ballad of Little Jo **May Chin - The Wedding Banquet **Ariyan A. Johnson - Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. **Emma Thompson - Much Ado About Nothing *1994: Linda Fiorentino - The Last Seduction **Jennifer Jason Leigh - Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle **Karen Sillas - What Happened Was... **Lauren Vélez - I Like It Like That **Wu Chien-lien - Eat Drink Man Woman *1995: Elisabeth Shue - Leaving Las Vegas **Jennifer Jason Leigh - Georgia **Elina Löwensohn - Nadja **Julianne Moore - Safe **Lili Taylor - The Addiction *1996: Frances McDormand - Fargo **María Conchita Alonso - Caught **Scarlett Johansson - Manny & Lo **Catherine Keener - Walking and Talking **Renée Zellweger - The Whole Wide World *1997: Julie Christie - Afterglow **Stacy Edwards - In the Company of Men **Alison Folland - All Over Me **Robin Wright Penn - Loved **Lisa Harrow - Sunday *1998: Ally Sheedy - High Art **Katrin Cartlidge - Claire Dolan **Christina Ricci - The Opposite of Sex **Robin Tunney - Niagara, Niagara **Alfre Woodard - Down in the Delta *1999: Hilary Swank - ' **Diane Lane - A Walk on the Moon **Janet McTeer - Tumbleweeds **Susan Traylor - Valerie Flake **Reese Witherspoon - Election 2000s * 2000: Ellen Burstyn - Requiem for a Dream ** Joan Allen - The Contender ** Sanaa Lathan - Love & Basketball ** Laura Linney - You Can Count on Me ** Kelly Macdonald - Two Family House * 2001: Sissy Spacek - In the Bedroom ** Kim Dickens - Things Behind the Sun ** Molly Parker - The Center of the World ** Tilda Swinton - The Deep End ** Kerry Washington - Lift * 2002: Julianne Moore - Far from Heaven ** Jennifer Aniston - The Good Girl ** Maggie Gyllenhaal - Secretary ** Catherine Keener - Lovely & Amazing ** Parker Posey - Personal Velocity: Three Portraits * 2003: Charlize Theron - Monster ** Agnes Bruckner - Blue Car ** Zooey Deschanel - All the Real Girls ** Samantha Morton - In America ** Elisabeth Moss - Virgin * 2004: Catalina Sandino Moreno - Maria Full of Grace ** Kimberly Elise - Woman Thou Art Loosed ** Vera Farmiga - Down to the Bone ** Judy Marte - On the Outs ** Kyra Sedgwick - Cavedweller * 2005: Felicity Huffman - Transamerica ** Dina Korzun - Forty Shades of Blue ** Laura Linney - The Squid and the Whale ** S. Epatha Merkerson - Lackawanna Blues ** Cyndi Williams - Room * 2006: Shareeka Epps - Half Nelson ** Catherine O'Hara - For Your Consideration ** Elizabeth Reaser - Sweet Land ** Michelle Williams - Land of Plenty ** Robin Wright Penn - Sorry, Haters * 2007: Ellen Page - Juno ** Angelina Jolie - A Mighty Heart ** Sienna Miller - Interview ** Parker Posey - Broken English ** Tang Wei - Lust, Caution * 2008: Melissa Leo - Frozen River **Summer Bishil - Towelhead **Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married **Tarra Riggs - Ballast **Michelle Williams - Wendy and Lucy * 2009: Gabourey Sidibe - ' **Maria Bello - Downloading Nancy **Nisreen Faour - Amreeka **Helen Mirren - The Last Station **Gwyneth Paltrow - Two Lovers