7/3/2010: PRECIOUS WINS 5 AT INDIE SPIRIT AWARDS

Precious dominated the Independent Spirit Awards on Friday, winning five including best feature, director, actress, supporting actress and first screenplay, ahead of 500 Days of Summer, Amreeka, Sin Nombre and The Last Station for the feature award. "Making films is about all the people who make the film," said producer Sarah Siegel-Magness.

Oscar favorite Jeff Bridges took the lead actor trophy for Crazy Heart. "It makes me weak in the knee," he said on starting his lengthy acceptance speech.

Gabourey Sidibe won the actress award and recalled saving up her money while in school to see Welcome to the Dollhouse. To be corny, that's when my independent spirit was born," she said in her acceptance speech.

Mo'nique remained unstoppable in the supporting actress category. She said of Sidibe, "Gaby, you are a special gift to the universe."

An Education won the best foreign film award for director Lone Scherfig, who singled out lead actors Carey Mulligan and Peter Saarsgard -- "the best actor I've ever worked with." Woody Harrelson won the best supporting actor trophy for The Messenger at the Independent Spirit Awards.

The best first feature trophy went to Crazy Heart, honouring director-producer Scott Cooper and producers T. Bone Burnett, Judy Cairo, Rob Carliner and Robert Duvall. Cooper thanked the cast and Fox Searchlight. "If not for Fox Searchlight, this would have gone straight to radio," he quipped.

Eddie Izzard hosted the show, held in downtown Los Angeles, moved from its usual beachside site and its usual Saturday daytime slot as part of the 25th anniversary of the event.

Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber won the screenplay trophy for 500 Days of Summer. Anvil! The Story of Anvil took the documentary award with director Sacha Gervasi -- who crewed with the band at age 15 -- coming on stage with the heavy metal band to accept.