Sideways sweeps the Spirit Awards

It was all about Sideways at the 20th IFP Independent Spirit Awards Saturday, as the oenophile buddy comedy took six major awards, including Best Feature, Best Director, and Best Male Lead. Mean Creek, about a group of bullied teens--one of whom is being raised by two dads--won the John Cassavetes Award for best feature produced for under $500,000 along with a special citation for its young ensemble cast. Out director Alejandro Amenabar won Best Foreign Film for The Sea Inside the day before having the same honor bestowed upon him at the Oscars. Multiple-nominee Kinsey went home empty-handed. Sponsored by the Independent Feature Project, the Spirit Awards are an annual celebration of independent cinema. Here is a complete list of this year's Independent Spirit Awards winners: Best Feature: Sideways Best Director: Alexander Payne, Sideways Best Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Sideways Best First Feature: Garden State Best First Screenplay: Joshua Marston, Maria Full of Grace John Cassavetes Award (best feature made for under $500,000): Mean Creek Best Debut Performance: Rodrigo de la Serna, The Motorcycle Diaries Best Supporting Female: Virginia Madsen, Sideways Best Supporting Male: Thomas Haden Church, Sideways Best Female Lead: Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace Best Male Lead: Paul Giamatti, Sideways Best Cinematography: The Motorcycle Diaries, Eric Gautier Best Foreign Film: The Sea Inside Best Documentary: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Bravo/American Express Producers Award: Gina Kwon, Me and You and Everyone We Know, The Motel Turning Leaf Someone To Watch Award: Jem Cohen, Chain DIRECTV/IFC Truer Than Fiction Award: Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman, Born Into Brothels Special Distinction Award: Ensemble cast of Mean Creek: Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelley, Scott Mechlowicz, Trevor Morgan, Josh Peck, and Carly Schroeder