How do we look at film now? What’s indie, what’s not?

I started asking myself that when I noticed that Cinecenta will screen Her by Spike Jonze. I’ve been mad, like many, for Jonze since Being John Malkovich. He gets nominated for the Indie Spirit Award as well as the Oscars. He’s got that slightly subversive perspective but mixed with mass appeal. So, is he indie? Is that one of the keys, something unique that shows us something new?

Also at Cinecenta is Finding Vivian Maier, a recent hit at the Victoria Film Festival. No question, indie all the way, it brings us a unique character and an unheralded artist. It’s part of the world we didn’t know about.

In late April, The Vic Theatre is bringing CBC’s Terry O’Reilly for his take on advertising and films, some familiar films but from a different angle.

It’s all new grist for the mill and isn’t that the essence of indie?