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The 2011 Film Independent’s Spirit Awards were handed out last night, honoring the best in independent film making. Read below for a full list of this year’s winners …

The Golden Raspberry Awards, which honor the worst of the worst in film, are not the only awards that are handed out on the eve before the Academy Awards are handed out … the annual Film Independent Spirit Awards are also handed out on the night before the Oscars. The Independent Spirit Awards are given out in a much more relaxed ceremony than the Oscars and honor the best in independent film making. This year, the Darren Aronofsky-directed film Black Swan walked away with the most awards … 4 in total. But other of this awards season’s “usual suspects” were also honored last night.

Last night, at the Nokia Theater at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, CA, the 25th annual Film Independent’s Spirit Awards were handed out in a fairly lavish ceremony just days before the Academy Awards are handed out in Hollywood. Known as the Indie Oscars, the Spirit Awards annually honor the independent films and filmmakers made in the year prior. This year, the indie film Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire was the big winner, taking home 5 awards — including Best Female Lead, Best Supporting Female, Best Director and Best Feature!!! Now, I should point out that The Hurt Locker was not in contention for Spirit Awards this year due to a glitch in the awards show rules. It was nominated last year, months before the film was ever released … which meant, naturally, that it has no chance of winning because none of the voters had even heard of the film. But, Hurt Locker‘s loss was deffo Precious‘s gain. Here are some photos from the red carpet arrivals and some deets about what went down at the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards last night:

The harrowing drama “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” was the big winner Friday evening at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which was held in a tent on L.A. Live’s event deck in downtown Los Angeles. The film about a pregnant African American teenager and her abusive mother won best feature, best director for Lee Daniels, best first screenplay for Geoffrey Fletcher, best female lead for Gabourey Sidibe and best supporting female for Mo’Nique. Daniels basked in his win away from his fellow Oscar nominees. “Kathryn Bigelow’s not here tonight,” he said. “I am.” “Precious” is nominated for Academy Awards in many of the same categories, with Mo’Nique considered the odds-on favorite to receive best supporting actress Sunday evening at the Kodak Theatre. Mo’Nique’s acceptance speech wasn’t as emotional as some of her other winning speeches this awards season, but she did take a special moment to acknowledge her co-star Sidibe, telling her, “You are a special gift to the universe, baby.” Presenter Ben Stiller, noting the ceremony’s late hour and the independent nature of the assembled crowd, brought half-naked porn stars onstage to writhe in sexual positions while he read the nominees for best film. On Friday, best male lead went to Oscar nominee Jeff Bridges for his moving performance as a dissolute country singer in “Crazy Heart.” The role has won Bridges numerous awards this season, including honors from the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild. Bridges gave a rambling speech in which he thanked many people and told the crowd, ” ‘Crazy Heart’ is a gem of an independent film.” “Crazy Heart,” directed by Scott Cooper, also won the Spirit prize for best first feature. Robert Duvall, who came to the stage with Cooper, told the crowd that the latter hadn’t directed so much as a high school play before this film. “But,” Duvall added, “he does a great job.” Woody Harrelson, also an Oscar contender, won for supporting male for “The Messenger.” Screenplay honors went to Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber for “(500) Days of Summer.” Roger Deakins received the cinematography award for “A Serious Man.” “An Education” won best foreign film, and “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” took documentary honors … The third annual Robert Altman Award, which is given to a film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast, went to Joel and Ethan Coen’s “A Serious Man” … The Spirit Awards, which honor independent and original filmmaking, have traditionally been held on the Saturday afternoon before the Oscars in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. But the show moved to Friday evening at L.A. Live this year in celebration of the awards’ 25th anniversary.

Many, many congrats goes out to Precious … while I’m certain that Mo’Nique will represent the film at the Academy Awards tomorrow night, it’s clear that last night’s Spirit Awards was the film’s biggest night to shine. It’s a shame that The Hurt Locker got shut out due to a set of janky rules (which will, very likely, be amended for next year’s show) but I’m very happy to see Precious enjoy it’s time in the sun. After the jump, check out some photos from the press room and from backstage at the Film Independent’s Spirit Awards last night …

Various celebs from the world of independent film made their way out to the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, CA yesterday to attend the annual Film Independent’s Spirit Awards which are traditionally handed out on the eve of the Academy Awards. Honoring independent film and independent filmmakers, the Indies are handed out in a casual and usually celebratory atmosphere … and last night’s awards show was no exception. The Wrestler and the film’s lead Mickey Rourke did very well at this year’s Indies, taking home the top film and male acting prize … setting the stage for a possible repeat at tonight’s Academy Awards. Here are a few photos from the red carpet arrivals and some info on last night’s awards show:

Mickey Rourke and “The Wrestler” have won top honors at the Spirit Awards, the annual eve-of-Oscars salute to the best of independent cinema. Rourke, a nominee at Sunday’s Academy Awards, won the best actor for his performance as a washed-up prizefighter in director Darren Aronofsky’s moving drama, which later scooped the ceremony’s best picture prize. Rourke’s award was the latest in a series of honors that have gone to the 56-year-old, who has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity after his career suffered a prolonged slump through the 1990s. In a typically profanity-laced acceptance speech, Rourke dedicated the win to “Wrestler” director Aronofsky — and his pet chihuahua, who died last week. “I’ve just gotten thousands of letters from strangers and people that know me about my dog that died six days ago, Loki. This is for you baby,” he said. “Thank you Darren Aronofsky for believing in me. Directors like Darren come around every 25 years,” added Rourke. Aronofksy said he had been drawn to the “The Wrestler” because of its subject matter. “Wrestling was a world no one had tackled in a serious way, and the more we looked into that world, the more complex it seemed,” he said. In other awards Saturday, Oscar nominee Melissa Leo won the best actress award for her performance in the human-trafficking drama “Frozen River.” Tom McCarthy meanwhile took best director honors for “The Visitor,” which is notable for helping journeyman Richard Jenkins earn a best actor nomination at Sunday’s Oscars. In the supporting actor and actress categories, Spanish siren Penelope Cruz won for her performance in Woody Allen’s steamy comedy “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” Cruz will be seeking to emulate the success at the Oscars, where she is nominated in the best supporting actress category. “I didn’t expect this,” Cruz said. “I go to all awards like this, not expecting anything, so it’s always a surprise when I win.” Meanwhile James Franco picked up the best supporting actor award for his portrayal of gay politician Harvey Milk’s long-time lover Scott Smith in the Gus Van Sant biopic “Milk,” which also earned best first screenplay for writer Dustin Lance Black. Black later paid tribute to Sean Penn’s portrayal of Milk, California’s first openly gay elected official. “Sean’s performance really captured Harvey,” Black said. “That’s why this film has such a connection beyond gay and lesbian audiences. We need to continue building the coalitions that Harvey was so good at.” In other notable awards Saturday, France’s “The Class (Entre Les Murs)” won the best foreign film, while the best documentary went to “Man on Wire,” director James Marsh’s exhilarating account of Frenchman Philippe Petit’s tight-rope walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. “What Philippe did was to stop time, it was a little miracle,” Marsh told reporters.

Altho the Film Indepedent’s Spirit Awards are only 25 years old, I love that there is a place for Indie films to get their due when, overwhelmingly, the Motion Picture Academy tends to overlook many amazing performances due to, well, their indieness. True, some Independent Films and actors get honored at the Academy Awards but, for the most part, name recognition plays a huge part in the voting process. I’m sure many of you have never even heard of the film Frozen River and yet, it was one of the year’s strongest films. After the jump, check out a couple photos from the show itself and some pics of a few winners posing with their Indie trophies in the press room afterward …