If you’re looking for indie-oriented films associated with Netflix in 2018, start with Outside In, First Match, 6 Balloons and the documentary Shirkers. This is a curated shortlist, not an official ranking: it combines Netflix’s independent-film tag, festival or theatrical pathways, and recommendations based on each film’s subject and mood. A 2018 release does not guarantee a film is still available on Netflix; check your local app.
How to read “2018” and “indie”
“2018” can refer to a film’s release year or the year it arrived on Netflix. Those dates sometimes differ: festival premieres, theatrical openings and Netflix launches did not always happen at the same time. The historical chronology for titles such as First Match, 6 Balloons, Private Life, Roma and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs makes those distinctions visible: Netflix film-release chronology.
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| 1 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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The Help (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy) | $13.87 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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There is no single definition of an indie film established by these sources. Netflix’s Independent Movies category spans genres and is a catalog tag, not a formal test of production independence. Festival or theatrical routes and curated lists offer other signals, but they are not interchangeable proof. The selections below are therefore best understood as independent or indie-oriented recommendations, not a definitive classification.
Indie-oriented films to consider
Outside In — intimate drama
Netflix classifies Outside In as a drama and tags it “Independent Movies.” Its story follows a man released after serving time for a crime he did not commit and the complicated bond he forms with his advocate. Jay Duplass, Edie Falco and Kaitlyn Dever are listed in the cast. It’s a good starting point if you want character-focused drama and a relationship at the center of the story: Netflix’s film page.
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#1 Best Overall
First Match — coming-of-age sports drama
A foster-raised high-school wrestler tries to reconnect with her father in First Match. It debuted at SXSW before its Netflix release in 2018, making it a useful pick if you’re interested in a festival-to-streaming path as well as a personal story built around wrestling: Urban Woman Magazine’s 2018 roundup; release chronology.
6 Balloons — family drama
6 Balloons centers on a woman who discovers that her brother has relapsed into heroin use. The film debuted at SXSW and arrived on Netflix in April 2018. Choose it for a contemporary family drama with a difficult subject rather than a light or escapist watch: Netflix-original roundup; release chronology.
Rank #2
- Genre: Comedy, Action / Adventure
- Number of Tracks: 0
- Playback Duration: 119
- Rating: R
- Director: Joel Coen
Shirkers — documentary about a lost film
Singaporean filmmaker Sandi Tan’s story is at the center of Shirkers, a documentary about a movie she made earlier in her life, the disappearance of its footage and its later reemergence. It stands apart from the narrative dramas on this list: choose it if you want a documentary about filmmaking, memory and a missing piece of a creative past. TIME’s coverage of Shirkers.
The Outsider — crime drama, with a classification caveat
Set in postwar Japan, The Outsider follows an American soldier who enters the Yakuza world. Netflix’s Media Center describes the premise, but that source alone does not establish the film as independent. Consider it if the setting and crime-story premise appeal to you; treat “indie” here as a looser fit than Netflix-tagged or festival-pathway selections. Netflix Media Center.
Rank #3
- The Help (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy)
Which one should you choose?
| If you want… | Try | What distinguishes it |
|---|---|---|
| A close character drama | Outside In | Netflix tags it as an independent movie; the story focuses on a former prisoner and his advocate. |
| A coming-of-age sports story | First Match | A high-school wrestler’s attempt to reconnect with her father; SXSW debut before Netflix release. |
| A difficult family drama | 6 Balloons | A woman confronts her brother’s heroin relapse; it debuted at SXSW before its Netflix launch. |
| A documentary about filmmaking | Shirkers | Sandi Tan’s earlier self-produced film and the disappearance and reemergence of its footage. |
| A postwar crime setting | The Outsider | An American soldier enters the Yakuza world; the cited Netflix description does not establish an indie classification. |
What “best” means in this guide
There is no sourced critic-score system or official Netflix ranking behind this list. The recommendations instead use a mix of Netflix’s category tag, festival or theatrical pathway, and concrete differences in subject and viewing experience. A US-focused roundup can help identify 2018 titles, but it is one curator’s selection, not an exhaustive catalog: Urban Woman Magazine’s list.
For context, FilmLA counted 56 original narrative movies released exclusively on Netflix and Amazon streaming platforms in 2018. That figure covers US-produced, English-language features under FilmLA’s methodology; it combines two services and is not a count of Netflix-only releases or independent films. FilmLA’s 2018 report.
Rank #4
Check availability where you watch
The listed release dates are historical, not evidence that a title is currently streamable in every country. Netflix’s catalog changes, and its live category page may display a different selection over time. Search each title in the Netflix app for your region before planning a watch: Netflix Independent Movies.
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