'The Wrestler' tops Spirit Awards

"The Wrestler" took top honors at Saturday's Film Independent Spirit Awards.

The drama about a washed-upped professional wrestler also saw Mickey Rourke pinning the competition in the lead male category. The thesp who is enjoying his own career revival will compete tomorrow night for the same award at the Academy Awards.

"Frozen River's" Melissa Leo bested Summer Bishil, Anne Hathaway, Tarra Riggs and Michelle Williams for best actress kudos. Otherwise, the awards show that honors independently financed films went with largely recognizable names and projects, including Penelope Cruz for best supporting actress in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and James Franco for best supporting actor in "Milk."

The ceremony, held on the beach in Santa Monica, drew a phlanx of A-list stars, who gave Rourke the afternoon's only standing ovation.

Rourke received most of the afternoon's laughs during his disjointed self-depricating acceptance speech, where he butchered a number of names including Fox Filmed Entertainment topper Jim Gianopulos. When "The Visitor" helmer Tom McCarthy was named best director following Rourke's speech, he joked, "I think they should have stopped the show after Mickey; who can follow that?"

List of winners:

Supporting male
James Franco "Milk"

First screenplay
Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"

First feature
Charlie Kaufman's "Synecdoche, New York"

Supporting female
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

John Cassavetes Award given to the best feature made for less than $500,000
Alex Holdridge's "In Search of a Midnight Kiss"

Documentary
James Marsh's "Man on Wire"

Female lead
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"

Acura Someone to Watch Award
Lynn Shelton, "My Effortless Brilliance"

Piaget Producers Award
Heather Rae, "Frozen River"

Lacoste Truer Than Fiction Award
Margaret Brown, "The Order of Myths"

Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Foreign film
Laurent Cantet's "The Class"

Cinematographer
Maryse Alberti, "The Wrestler"

Robert Altman Award, given to film's director, casting director and its ensemble cast
"Synecdoche, New York"

Male lead
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Director
Tom McCarthy, "The Visitor"

Picture
"The Wrestler," producers Darren Aronofsky, Scott Franklin