Fox Searchlight's "The Wrestler" was named best feature at the 2009 Film Independent's Spirit Awards. It also scored trophies for actor Mickey Rourke and cinematograper Maryse Alberti.
"The thing I love about the Spirit Awards is every film here is a passion piece; we all bled to get to this room," director-producer Darren Aronofksy said as he accepted the award with fellow producer Scott Franklin at the free-wheeling ceremony held Saturday in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica.
"I realized while doing special effects on a space movie that I really loved working with actors more than anything else," Aronofsky said about his decision to make a movie about a washed-up wrestler trying to reclaim his life.
In the weekend's first showdown between Rourke and "Milk's" Sean Penn, it was Rourke who triumphed as best male lead.
In a raucous acceptance speech, in which he freely lobbed "f"-bombs to the delight of the crowd, Rourke exulted in his comeback performance, dedicated his award to his recently departed dog, Loki, and urged directors in the audience to give his fellow actor Eric Roberts a good part, saying "he deserves a second chance."
Melissa Leo also delivered a rousing speech, praising independent filmmaking as she celebrated her win as best female lead for her hard-scrabble performance in "Frozen River."
"You are my people, you know you are my people," the veteran actress, who has suddenly been elevated to leading-lady status, said. After acknowledging her director, Courtney Hunt, and co-star Misty Upham, she had special praise for the crew of "Fozen River" and the local people of Plattsburgh, N.Y., who "made this dream come true."
Tom McCarthy was named best director for his work on the immigrant drama "The Visitor."
"Milk" copped two awards early on as the ceremony got under way.
James Franco took home the afternoon's first trophy as best supporting male for his performance as Harvey Milk's longtime lover in the film directed by Gus Van Sant, and the movie's screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black, quickly followed him to the stage when he won the award for best first screenplay.
"This means so much to me," said Black, who thanked Milk's old associate Cleve Jones for opening doors to him and eventually passing his screenplay along to Van Sant. He added, "It's been 30 years since Harvey Milk gave his life for this movement, and I've got to say, I don't think we can wait 30 years more" for full civil rights for gays and lesbians.
Accepting his award, Franco added that he jumped at the chance to join the film because "before I even started acting, I fell in love with Gus Van Sant's movies, and I'd watch them repeatedly." Hollywood Reporter
"The thing I love about the Spirit Awards is every film here is a passion piece; we all bled to get to this room," director-producer Darren Aronofksy said as he accepted the award with fellow producer Scott Franklin at the free-wheeling ceremony held Saturday in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica.
"I realized while doing special effects on a space movie that I really loved working with actors more than anything else," Aronofsky said about his decision to make a movie about a washed-up wrestler trying to reclaim his life.
In the weekend's first showdown between Rourke and "Milk's" Sean Penn, it was Rourke who triumphed as best male lead.
In a raucous acceptance speech, in which he freely lobbed "f"-bombs to the delight of the crowd, Rourke exulted in his comeback performance, dedicated his award to his recently departed dog, Loki, and urged directors in the audience to give his fellow actor Eric Roberts a good part, saying "he deserves a second chance."
Melissa Leo also delivered a rousing speech, praising independent filmmaking as she celebrated her win as best female lead for her hard-scrabble performance in "Frozen River."
"You are my people, you know you are my people," the veteran actress, who has suddenly been elevated to leading-lady status, said. After acknowledging her director, Courtney Hunt, and co-star Misty Upham, she had special praise for the crew of "Fozen River" and the local people of Plattsburgh, N.Y., who "made this dream come true."
Tom McCarthy was named best director for his work on the immigrant drama "The Visitor."
"Milk" copped two awards early on as the ceremony got under way.
James Franco took home the afternoon's first trophy as best supporting male for his performance as Harvey Milk's longtime lover in the film directed by Gus Van Sant, and the movie's screenwriter, Dustin Lance Black, quickly followed him to the stage when he won the award for best first screenplay.
"This means so much to me," said Black, who thanked Milk's old associate Cleve Jones for opening doors to him and eventually passing his screenplay along to Van Sant. He added, "It's been 30 years since Harvey Milk gave his life for this movement, and I've got to say, I don't think we can wait 30 years more" for full civil rights for gays and lesbians.
Accepting his award, Franco added that he jumped at the chance to join the film because "before I even started acting, I fell in love with Gus Van Sant's movies, and I'd watch them repeatedly." Hollywood Reporter
