Skenario Terbaik (Independent Spirit Award)

1980an

  • 1985: The Trip to Bountiful – Horton Foote
    • After Hours – Joseph Minion
    • Blood Simple – Joel Coen dan Ethan Coen
    • Smooth Talk – Tom Cole
  • 1986: Platoon – Oliver Stone
    • Blue Velvet – David Lynch
    • A Great Wall – Peter Wang dan Shirley Sun
    • Salvador – Oliver Stone dan Richard Boyle
    • Stand by Me – Raynold Gideon dan Bruce A. Evans
  • 1987: River's Edge – Neal Jimenez
    • Anna – Agnieszka Holland
    • The Dead – Tony Huston
    • Matewan – John Sayles
    • Swimming to Cambodia – Spalding Gray
  • 1988: Stand and Deliver – Ramon Menendez dan Tom Musca
    • Five Corners – John Patrick Shanley
    • Hairspray – John Waters
    • The Moderns – Alan Rudolph dan John Bradshaw
    • Patti Rocks – John Jenkins, Karen Landry, David Burton Morris, dan Chris Mulkey
  • 1989: Drugstore Cowboy – Gus Van Sant dan Daniel Yost
    • 84 Charlie Mopic – Patrick Sheane Duncan
    • Heathers – Daniel Waters
    • Miracle Mile – Steve De Jarnatt
    • Mystery Train – Jim Jarmusch