<i>Far From Heaven</i> big winner at Independent Spirit Awards (8123)

 Far From Heaven swept the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, gathering five awards, including Best Feature. Far From Heaven also won honors for Best Director for out filmmaker Todd Haynes, female lead for Julianne Moore, male supporting lead for Dennis Quaid, and cinematography for Edward Lachman. The movie stars Moore as a wife whose picture-perfect domestic life crumbles after her husband begins an affair with another man and she has a platonic dalliance with her black gardener.

Out screenwriter Mike White was honored for his screenplay for The Good Girl, and the gay-themed Y Tu Mama Tambien won in the foreign film category.

The nonprofit Independent Feature Project/Los Angeles-presented awards honor movies that have been at least partially independently financed. Nominees are expected to have original and provocative subject matter, been produced economically, and show a "uniqueness of vision." Openly gay director John Waters served as master of ceremonies, with actress Halle Berry as honorary chair. Elvis Costello performed during the ceremonies, held in a tent on the Santa Monica beach.

Here are this year's Independent Spirit Award winners:

Best Feature: Far From Heaven

Best Director: Todd Haynes, Far From Heaven

Best Screenplay: Mike White, The Good Girl

Best First Screenplay: Erin Cressida Wilson, Secretary

Best First Feature: The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys

John Cassavetes Award (for Best Feature Made for Under $500,000): Personal Velocity

Best Female Lead: Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven

Best Male Lead: Derek Luke, Antwone Fisher

Best Debut Performance: Nia Vardalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Best Supporting Female: Emily Mortimer, Lovely & Amazing

Best Supporting Male: Dennis Quaid, Far From Heaven

Best Foreign Film: Y Tu Mama Tambien

Best Cinematographer: Edward Lachman, Far From Heaven

Best Documentary: Bowling for Columbine

Motorola Producers Award: Effie T. Brown (Real Women Have Curves, Stranger Inside)

Turning Leaf Coastal Reserve Someone to Watch Award: Presmyslaw Reut (Paradox)

DIRECTV/IFC Truer Than Fiction Award: Jennifer Dworkin (Love & Diane)