So the Independent Spirit Awards winners for 2009 were announced and here is a list of the winners and nominees.

Best Feature
WINNER: The Wrestler (2008): Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin

Other Nominees:
Ballast (2008): Lance Hammer, Nina Parikh

Frozen River (2008): Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae

Rachel Getting Married (2008): Neda Armian, Jonathan Demme, Marc E. Platt

Wendy and Lucy (2008): Larry Fessenden, Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani

Best Female Lead
WINNER:Melissa Leo for Frozen River (2008)

Other Nominees:
Summer Bishil for Nothing Is Private (2007)

Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Tarra Riggs for Ballast (2008)

Michelle Williams for Wendy and Lucy (2008)

Best Male Lead
WINNER:Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler (2008)

Other Nominees:
Javier Bardem for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Richard Jenkins for The Visitor (2007/I)

Sean Penn for Milk (2008/I)

Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker (2008)

Best Supporting Female
WINNER: Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Other Nominees:
Rosemarie DeWitt for Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Rosie Perez for The Take (2007)

Misty Upham for Frozen River (2008)

Debra Winger for Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Best Supporting Male
WINNER: James Franco for Milk (2008/I)

Other Nominees:
Anthony Mackie for The Hurt Locker (2008)

Charlie McDermott for Frozen River (2008)

JimMyron Ross for Ballast (2008)

Haaz Sleiman for The Visitor (2007/I)

Best Director
WINNER: Thomas McCarthy for The Visitor (2007/I)

Other Nominees:
Ramin Bahrani for Chop Shop (2007)

Jonathan Demme for Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Lance Hammer for Ballast (2008)

Courtney Hunt for Frozen River (2008)

Best Screenplay
WINNER: Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008): Woody Allen

Other Nominees:
Padre Nuestro (2007): Christopher Zalla

Savage Grace (2007): Howard A. Rodman

Sugar (2008/I): Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Synecdoche, New York (2008): Charlie Kaufman

Best First Screenplay
WINNER: Milk (2008/I): Dustin Lance Black

Other Nominees:
Ballast (2008): Lance Hammer

Frozen River (2008): Courtney Hunt

Rachel Getting Married (2008): Jenny Lumet

The Wackness (2008): Jonathan Levine

Best Cinematography
WINNER: The Wrestler (2008): Maryse Alberti

Other Nominees:
Ballast (2008): Lol Crawley

Chop Shop (2007): Michael Simmonds

Medicine for Melancholy (2008): James Laxton

Milk (2008/I): Harris Savides

Best First Feature
WINNER:Synecdoche, New York (2008): Charlie Kaufman, Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel

Other Nominees:
Afterschool (2008): Antonio Campos, T. Sean Durkin, Josh Mond

Medicine for Melancholy (2008): Barry Jenkins, Justin Barber

Padre Nuestro (2007): Christopher Zalla, Per Melita, Ben Odell

Sleep Dealer (2008): Alex Rivera, Anthony Bregman

Best Foreign Film
WINNER: Entre les murs (2008): Laurent Cantet(France)

Other Nominees:
Gomorra (2008): Matteo Garrone(Italy)

Hunger (2008): Steve McQueen(UK/Ireland)

Graine et le mulet, La (2007): Abdel Kechiche(France)

Stellet licht (2007): Carlos Reygadas(Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)

Best Documentary
WINNER: Man on Wire (2008): James Marsh

Other Nominees:
The Betrayal - Nerakhoon (2008): Ellen Kuras, Thavisouk Phrasavath

Encounters at the End of the World (2007): Werner Herzog

The Order of Myths (2008): Margaret Brown

Up the Yangtze (2007): Yung Chang

John Cassavetes Award
WINNER: In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007): Alex Holdridge, Seth Caplan, Scoot McNairy

Other Nominees:
Prince of Broadway (2008): Sean Baker, Darren Dean

The Signal (2007/I): David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry, Alexander Motlagh

Take Out (2004): Sean Baker, Shih-Ching Tsou

Turn the River (2007): Chris Eigeman, Ami Armstrong

Truer Than Fiction Award
WINNER: The Order of Myths (2008): Margaret Brown

Other Nominees:
Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008): Sacha Gervasi

Loot (2008): Darius Marder

Someone to Watch Award
WINNER: Lynn Shelton for My Effortless Brilliance (2008)

Other Nominees:
Barry Jenkins for Medicine for Melancholy (2008)

Nina Paley for Sita Sings the Blues (2008)

Producers Award
WINNER: Heather Rae for Frozen River (2008), Ibid (2008)

Other Nominees:
Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy for Treeless Mountain (2008), I'll Come Running (2008)

Jason Orans for Goodbye Solo (2008), Year of the Fish (2007)

Well, for me it is no surprise that "The Wrestler" won many awards. It's the "Million Dollar Baby" of this award season. Came out of nowhere with tremendous praise, a high profile performance, and while it is a bit depressing it is in some ways a "feel good movie." I think Mickey Rourke is going to win the Academy Award. It doesn't upset me because I have heard nothing but great things but I think that Sean Penn was so good in "Milk" that I would love to see him walk away with the honor. Good for James Franco winning "Best Supporting Actor" and I am still surprised that he didn't garner more attention for this film from the other awards. I guess that there were so many great performances for that category that he just didn't make the cut.