The Wrestler Wins Big at Independent Spirit Awards

 Image by wenn.com

With all eyes on the Oscars this weekend, we almost forgot about the award show called the Independent Spirit Awards! The show always precedes the Academy Awards by one day, honoring the smaller films in the industry. But this year, an Oscar contender himself won big.

Mickey Rourke and The Wrestler took home three statues last night; one for Best Feature, one for Best Male Lead, and one for Cinematography. How’s that for a comeback?

Other winners included Melissa Leo, who won Best Female Lead for her work in Frozen River, while James Franco was awarded Best Supporting Male for Milk.

Penelope Cruz was named Best Supporting Female for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Woody Allen won Best Screenplay for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Best Director went to Tom McCarthy for The Visitor, which came as a surprise to many.

Here’s the full list of winners:

BEST FEATURE
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)

BEST FIRST FEATURE (Award given to the director and producer)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie
Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel

BEST MALE LEAD
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
James Franco (Milk)

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

BEST SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black (Milk)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Maryse Alberti (The Wrestler)

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Man on Wire

FOREIGN FILM
The Class (France)

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director, and its ensemble cast)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams

IFC/ACURA SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
Lynn Shelton, director of My Effortless Brilliance