Film Independent gave out their Indie Spirit Awards last night, giving them to the best films produced for under $20 million – of which most of my favourite films of the year were made for.

The Wrestler, my second favourite film of last year under only Paranoid Park which was a Spirit Nominee last year, winning Best Picture is fantastic – an award it should have been in contention for at a few other awards ceremonies, but anyway. Just saw “The Visitor” for the first time last night, isn’t Richard Jenkins fantastic? In fact, the entire film is.

To see Tom McCarthy take home Best Director over the likes of Jonathan Demme, Courtney Hunt, Ramin Bahrani and Lance Hammer is something indeed. Oscar hopefuls Mickey Rourke and Melissa Leo won in their respective categories, as did Penelope Cruz. I wonder, are the rumbles that Leo may perhaps overtake Winslet and win the Oscar validated at all?

Other awards went to Man on Wire, The Class, Milk and Synecdoche, New York, and yet again I recall that the Independent Spirit Awards are just about my favourite awards in the world. With the winner list below, it’s easy to see why.

Best Picture: “The Wrestler”
Best Director: Tom McCarthy, “The Visitor”
Best Female Lead: Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
Best Male Lead: Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”
Best Supporting Female: Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Best Supporting Male: James Franco,  ”Milk”
Robert Altman Award for Ensemble: “Synecdoche, New York”
Best Documentary: “Man on Wire”
Best Foreign Film: “The Class”
Best Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Best Cinematographer: Maryse Alberti, “The Wrestler”
Best First Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, “Milk”
Best First Feature: “Synecdoche, New York”
John Cassavetes Award: “In Search of a Midnight Kiss”
Someone to Watch Award: Lynn Shelton, “My Effortless Brilliance”
Producers Award: Heather Rae, “Frozen River”
Truer Than Fiction Award: Margaret Brown, “The Order of Myths”