British comedian Steve Coogan, master of ceremonies for the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards, opens the show in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Master of ceremonies Steve Coogan, impersonating actor Christian Bales, left, and Frank Coraci, portraying actor Joaquin Phoenix, perform a skit and make the presentation for best documentary at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Nominees
Best Feature
Ballast
Lance Hammer, Nina Parikh
Frozen River
Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae
Rachel Getting Married
Neda Armian, Jonathan Demme, Marc Platt
Wendy and Lucy
Larry Fessenden, Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani
The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin
Actor Mickey Rourke (L) hugs director Darren Aronofsky after the film "The Wrestler" won Best Feature and Rourke won Best Male Lead at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Actor Mickey Rourke (L) kisses director Darren Aronofsky (R) after Rourke won the Best Male Lead for the film "The Wrestler" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Darren Aronofsky, left, and Scott Franklin hold their awards as producers of the best feature film, 'The Wrestler,' backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Best Director
Ramin Bahrani
Chop Shop
Jonathan Demme
Rachel Getting Married
Lance Hammer
Ballast
Courtney Hunt
Frozen River
Tom McCarthy
The Visitor
Thomas McCarthy (L) accepts the award for Best Director for "The Visitor" as presenters John Waters and Zooey Deschanel watch at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Tom McCarthy holds the award for best director for 'The Visit' backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Best First Feature
Afterschool
Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin, Josh Mond
Medicine for Melancholy
Barry Jenkins, Justin Barber
Sangre De Mi Sangre
Christopher Zalla, Per Melita, Benjamin Odell
Sleep Dealer
Alex Rivera, Anthony Bregman
Synecdoche, New York
Charlie Kaufman, Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Sidney Kimmel
Actress Robin Wright Penn presents the award for Best First Feature to director Charlie Kaufman for the film "Synecdoche, New York" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Director Charlie Kaufman accepts the award for Best First Feature for the film "Synecdoche, New York" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
John Cassavetes Award
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
Alex Holdridge, Seth Caplan, Scoot McNairy
Prince of Broadway
Sean Baker, Darren Dean
The Signal
David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry, Alexander Motlagh
Take Out
Sean Baker, Shih-Ching Tsou
Turn the River
Chris Eigeman, Ami Armstrong
Actor/producer Scoot McNairy (C) accepts the John Cassavetes Award along with actress Sara Simmonds (L) and producer Seth Caplan (R) for the film "In Search of a Midnight Kiss" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Best Screenplay
Woody Allen
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck
Sugar
Charlie Kaufman
Synecdoche, New York
Howard A. Rodman
Savage Grace
Christopher Zalla
Sangre De Mi Sangre
Best First Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black
Milk
Lance Hammer
Ballast
Courtney Hunt
Frozen River
Jonathan Levine
The Wackness
Jenny Lumet
Rachel Getting Married
Dustin Lance Black (L) receives his award for Best First Screenplay from actors Ben Kingsley (C) and Mary-Kate Olsen at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Dustin Lance Black accepts the award for Best First Screenplay for the film "Milk" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009.
REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Best Female Lead
Summer Bishil
Towelhead
Anne Hathaway
Rachel Getting Married
Melissa Leo
Frozen River
Tarra Riggs
Ballast
Michelle Williams
Wendy and Lucy
Actress Melissa Leo accepts the award for Best Female Lead for the film "Frozen River" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009.
REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Melissa Leo holds her award for best female lead for 'Frozen River' backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Best Male Lead
Javier Bardem
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Richard Jenkins
The Visitor
Sean Penn
Milk
Jeremy Renner
The Hurt Locker
Mickey Rourke
The Wrestler
Actor Mickey Rourke, right, accepts the award for best male lead for his role in 'The Wrestler' from presenter Phillip Seymour Hoffman at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Actor Mickey Rourke accepts his Best Male Lead award for "The Wrestler" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009.
REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Best Supporting Female
Penélope Cruz
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Rosemarie DeWitt
Rachel Getting Married
Rosie Perez
The Take
Misty Upham
Frozen River
Debra Winger
Rachel Getting Married
Spanish actress Penelope Cruz accepts the award for best supporting female for her role in 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Best Supporting Male
James Franco
Milk
Anthony Mackie
The Hurt Locker
Charlie McDermott
Frozen River
JimMyron Ross
Ballast
Haaz Sleiman
The Visitor
Actor James Franco accepts the award for best supporting male for his role in 'Milk' at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Best Foreign Film
The Class
Laurent Cantet
Gomorra
Matteo Garrone
Hunger
Steve McQueen
Secret of the Grain
Abdellatif Kechiche
Silent Light
Carlos Reygadas
French director Laurent Cantet accepts award for Best Foreign Film for "The Class" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009.
REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Best Documentary
The Betrayal
Ellen Kuras & Thavisouk Phrasavath
Encounters at the End of the World
Werner Herzog
Man on Wire
James Marsh
The Order of Myths
Margaret Brown
Up the Yangtze
Yung Chang
British director James Marsh accepts the award for best documentary for 'Man on Wire' at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Best Cinematography
Maryse Alberti
The Wrestler
Lol Crawley
Ballast
James Laxton
Medicine for Melancholy
Harris Savides
Milk
Michael Simmonds
Chop Shop
Robert Altman Award
Charlie Kaufman (Director), Jeanne McCarthy (Casting Director), Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams
Synecdoche, New York
Piaget Producers Award
Heather Rae
Frozen River, Ibid
Jason Orans
Goodbye Solo, Year of the Fish
Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy
Treeless Mountain, I'll Come Running
Acura Someone to Watch Award
Lynn Shelton
My Effortless Brilliance
Nina Paley
Sita Sings the Blues
Barry Jenkins
Medicine for Melancholy
Actress Lynn Shelton (R) accepts the Someone to Watch award with actor Sean Nelson at her side during the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Lacoste Truer Than Fiction Award
Darius Marder
Loot
Sacha Gervasi
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Margaret Brown
The Order of Myths
Director Margaret Brown accepts the Truer Than Fiction award for "The Order of Myths" at the 24th annual Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California February 21, 2009.
REUTERS/Danny Moloshok