(February 20, 2002) — It was just a month ago that the entertainment world was abuzz with the Golden Globe nominations where independent films made considerable dents in several major categories. Last week, In the Bedroom and Gosford Park , two independent films, stormed into the Oscar scene with Best Picture nominations. If you were an acress in a large production film, there wasn’t much room to be nominated in either supporting or lead roles. In fact, only three out of the ten actresses with nods were in a mainstream movie. Independent films offer more substance to a storyline than the usual Hollywood production. Actors such as Sissy Spacek of In the Bedroom brought intensity to the screen while others like Ryan Phillipe of Gosford Park delivered delightful performances. Phillipe’s portrayal of a Scottish servant is a refreshing departure from his debut roles in teen flicks like I Know What You Did Last Summer and Cruel Intentions . Aside from superb actors, independent films offer arguably the best material in the film world with the collaboration of writers and directors. Indies swept the original screenplay category in nominations. Among them was Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Amélie , which was also recognized at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts with nine nominations just behind Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge . The highly anticipated nomination of Mulholland Drive was not realized, though director David Lynch received a nod for Best Director. Indies have a great chance for Oscar wins this year. With the ever-growing numbers of indie audiences, the future seems bright for this under appreciated group of filmmaking gems.