indie darling
Beloved small-budget film
An indie darling is a film, musician, or other creative work or artist that earns devoted praise from critics and niche audiences while remaining outside mainstream commercial success.
The term implies cultish admiration from those who pride themselves on discovering talent before it goes big: She was an indie darling before her third album hit the charts.
Sometimes used dismissively to suggest precious or self-consciously artsy work that appeals mainly to critics.
- cultFervent fringe group
- cult followingPassionate niche audience
- arthouseVenue for noncommercial films
- quirkyIdiosyncratically unusual
- belovedOne who is treasured
critically · acclaimed · film festival · festival · Sundance · lo-fi · underdog · breakout · breakout hit · hipster · sleeper · buzzworthy · auteur · intimate · offbeat · charming · grassroots · under the radar
- hidden gemshidden gems, best kept secret, diamond in the rough, rare find, secret spot
- famefame, famous, celebrity, renown, famed
- rising starsrising star, up-and-comer, newcomer, breakout star, prospect
indie darlingblockbuster
Enormously successful entertainment property
mainstream hit · popcorn movie · summer blockbuster · tentpole film · studio film
indie, darling, independent, independence, independently, independents, dear, dearly