The Wrestler Sweeps The 2009 Independent Spirit Awards

The 2009 Independent Spirit Awards were held last night, celebrating the best of the best independent films that were released over the last year. I love the Indie Spirits because it gives you a great bunch of indie selections to seek out. Films that might be just out of reach for the Academy Awards like The Wackness, Medicine for Melancholy and The Signal get recognition through nominations. The big news is that Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler took home Best Picture, Best Male Lead (Mickey Rourke) and Best Cinematography (Maryse Alberti). Check out the full list of winners after the jump.

Best FeatureThe Wrestler

Ballast

Frozen River

Rachel Getting Married

Wendy and Lucy

Best First FeatureSynecdoche, New York

Afterschool

Medicine for Melancholy

Sangre De Mi Sangre

Sleep Dealer

Best DirectorTom McCarthy – The Visitor

Ramin Bahrani – Chop Shop

Jonathan Demme – Rachel Getting Married

Lance Hammer – Ballast

Courtney Hunt – Frozen River

Best Male LeadMickey Rourke – The Wrestler

Javier Bardem – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Richard Jenkins – The Visitor

Sean Penn – Milk

Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker

Best Female LeadMelissa Leo – Frozen River

Summer Bishil – Towelhead

Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married

Tarra Riggs – Ballast

Michelle Williams – Wendy and Lucy

Best Supporting MaleJames Franco – Milk

Anthony Mackie – The Hurt Locker

Charlie McDermott – Frozen River

JimMyron Ross – Ballast

Haaz Sleiman – The Visitor

Best Supporting FemalePenelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Rosemarie DeWitt – Rachel Getting Married

Rosie Perez – The Take

Misty Upham – Frozen River

Debra Winger – Rachel Getting Married

Best ScreenplayWoody 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 ScreenplayDustin Lance Black – Milk

Lance Hammer – Ballast

Courtney Hunt – Frozen River

Jonathan Levine – The Wackness

Jenny Lumet – Rachel Getting Married

Best CinematographyMaryse Alberti – The Wrestler

Lol Crawley – Ballast

James Laxton – Medicine for Melancholy

Harris Savides – Milk

Michael Simmonds – Chop Shop

Best Documentary

The Betrayal

Encounters at the End of the World

Man on Wire

The Order of Myths

Up the Yangtze

Best Foreign FilmThe Class (France)

Gomorra (Italy)

Hunger (U.K./Ireland)

Secret of the Grain (France)

Silent Light (Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany)

John Cassavetes Award (Best feature made for less than $500,000)In Search of a Midnight Kiss

Prince of Broadway

The Signal

Take Out

Turn the River