The Wrestler
Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler was the big winner at this year's Independent Spirit Awards picking up the Best Feature.
There was more silverware for comeback king Mickey Rourke as he picked up Best Actor for his performance as washed up wrestler Randy 'The Ram' Robinson.
Since his performance in the film, which is already one of the best films of the year, Rourke has seen the awards flood in picking up a Golden Globe and a Bafta as well as an Oscar nomination.
The actor has raised a few eyebrows over recent weeks with his speeches but on Saturday night he dedicated the award to his Chihuahua Loki who died last week.
He went on to thank the Santa Monica police department "for giving me a bed to sleep in 10 years ago" before moving on to Darren Aronofsky and Marisa Tomei.
"Not many girls can climb a pole, so I give her big props for that."
The film also picked up the award for cinematography.
Melissa Leo was the recipient of the Best Actress award for her role in Frozen River, a role which has also seen awards and nominations come her way picking up Breakthrough Actor gong at the Gotham Awards, and was nominated at the Screen Actors Guild and the Broadcast Film Critics Association.
Penelope Cruz picked up Best Supporting Actress for her role in Woody Allen's comedy Vicky, Cristina Barcelona while James Franco won Best Supporting Actor for Milk.
There was also an award for Woody Allen as he won the Best Screenplay prize.
There was also more recognition for documentary Man on Wire as it took Best Documentary while the Palme d'Or winner The Class took Best Foreign film.
The Visitor was also recognised at the ceremony as Tom McCarthy won Best Director. The actor had been overlooked at many of the awards ceremonies but landed a surprise best Actor nod at the Oscars alongside Rourke, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Frank Langella.
Full 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
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Mickey Rourke