Spirit Award winners

The Academy Awards usually dwarfs The Independent Spirit Awards but they are no less important because they remind us that if you can scrape together a few million dollars, maybe get the indie branch of a studio involved as well as talented people behind and in front of the camera, stock up on hamburger phones or any fast food related device (Big Mac dildo?), invent pop culture referencing expressions like they’re going out of style, pay your dues as a stripper, and create a totally awesome moniker incorporating the name of the Christian root of all evil (Beelzebub Grant?) then BAM, just like that, you too can be thrust into the spotlight and even win an Oscar! Having said that, here are the winners of the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards:

Best Feature – JUNO

Best Male Lead – Philip Seymour Hoffman, THE SAVAGES

Best Female Lead – Ellen Page, JUNO

Best Director – Julian Schnabel, THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY

Best Cinematographer – Janusz Kaminski, THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY

Best Screenplay – Tamara Jenkins, THE SAVAGES

Best Supporting Male – Chiwetel Ejiofor, TALK TO ME

Best Supporting Female – Cate Blanchett, I’M NOT THERE

Best First Feature – THE LOOKOUT, Director: Scott Frank

Best First Screenplay – Diablo Cody, JUNO

Best Documentary – CRAZY LOVE, Director: Dan Klores

Best Foreign Film – ONCE (Ireland), Director: John Carney

John Cassavetes Award – AUGUST EVENING, Writer/Director: Chris Eska

Robert Altman Award – I’M NOT THERE

Acura Someone to Watch Award – Ramin Bahrani, Director: CHOP SHOP

Piaget Producers Award – Neil Kopp, Producer: PARANOID PARK

IFC Truer than Fiction Award – Laura Dunn, Director: THE UNFORESEEN.