Susan Seidelman and Alexandre O. Philippe win Indie Star Awards
They blaze their own trails instead of following the mainstream. They consistently break barriers—whether thematic, stylistic, or industry-related. They expand the field of possibilities and enrich the cinematic landscape, all while staying true to themselves. The Indie Star Awards honor creators who reshape the face of independent cinema through their work.
During the 16th TAURON American Film Festival (November 6–11 in Wrocław), the award will go to Susan Seidelman and Alexandre O. Philippe.
Susan Seidelman is among the few directors who, since the 1980s, have successfully thrived in a male-dominated industry, always ensuring the female perspective is seen and heard. Smithereens opened Cannes’ red carpets to American independent filmmakers (it was the first US indie selected for the main competition), Desperately Seeking Susan reimagined the buddy movie through a female lens, and Sex and the City brought liberated women squarely into the mainstream.
The award is accompanied by a retrospective of Seidelman’s work, featuring selected feature films, shorts, and episodes from the iconic series she directed. Through both the award and the retrospective, we aim to spotlight a filmmaker who had the courage to push her way in, wedge her foot in a door long closed to women, and shatter glass ceilings along the way. Seidelman will join audiences in Wrocław for the 16th TAURON American Film Festival, taking part in Q&As and leading a masterclass. The patron of this year’s Indie Star Award for Susan Seidelman is Ewa Voelkel, owner and CEO of Concordia Design and founder of the Voelkel Foundation.
Read more about Susan Seidelman
Retrospective program
There will be even more chances to meet Susan Seidelman. For those who can’t make it to Wrocław, join us for screenings of Desperately Seeking Susan with the director in Kraków and Warsaw. Thanks to our partnership with the retrospective’s co-organizer, the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute, we’ll revisit this cult classic on November 5 at 6:00 p.m. at the Iluzjon Cinema (the talk will be hosted by Patrycja Mucha) and on November 12 at 6:00 p.m. at the Pod Baranami Cinema in Kraków (hosted by Anita Piotrowska).
Buy tickets for the Iluzjon screening
Buy tickets for the Pod Baranami screening
The second Indie Star Award goes to Alexandre O. Philippe—a regular guest of the American Film Festival and an exceptional purveyor of cinematic pleasure. His documentaries on the history of American cinema present visionaries and outsiders—artists without whom film as an art form would be far poorer. Drawing from his own deep love of cinema, Philippe explores the imagination of masters like Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch, William Friedkin, and Kim Novak—showing how their influence extends far beyond the screen.
At this year’s festival, we’ll screen a selection of Philippe’s documentaries about cinema, films that, as critic Piotr Czerkawski writes, “combine charisma, curiosity, and humility—qualities that make Philippe the ideal researcher of pop culture’s greatest works.” The program includes Hitchcock’s Shower Scene: 78/52, Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist, Lynch/Oz, and Kim Novak’s Vertigo. Philippe will attend the festival as a guest.
The Indie Star Award is an honorary distinction recognizing independent filmmakers. Previous winners include Todd Solondz, Jerry Schatzberg, Whit Stillman, David Gordon Green, Christine Vachon, Rosanna Arquette, Mark Webber, John Waters, Nina Menkes, Adele Romanski, Alex Ross Perry, and Jesse Eisenberg.
The 16th TAURON American Film Festival will take place from November 6 to 11, 2025, traditionally at the New Horizons Cinema in Wrocław.
