Independent Spirit Awards 2008

The Independent Spirit Awards 2008 announced its nominees in December 2008. The winners were announced on February 21, 2009.

Nominees

Best Actor (Best Male Lead)

Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

• Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
• Sean Penn - Milk
• Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker

Best Actress (Best Female Lead)

Melissa Leo - Frozen River

• Summer Bishil - Towelhead
• Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
• Tarra Riggs - Ballast
• Michelle Williams - Wendy and Lucy

Best Director

Tom McCarthy - The Visitor

• Ramin Bahrani - Chop Shop
• Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
• Lance Hammer - Ballast
• Courtney Hunt - Frozen River

Best Film (Best Feature)

The Wrestler

• Ballast
• Frozen River
• Rachel Getting Married
• Wendy and Lucy

Best Foreign Film

The Class (Entre les murs), France

• Gomorrah (Gomorra), Italy
• Hunger, Ireland/UK
• The Secret of the Grain (La graine et le mulet), France
• Silent Light (Stellet licht), France/Germany/Netherlands/Mexico

Best Screenplay

Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Woody Allen

• Savage Grace - Howard A. Rodman
• Sugar - Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
• Synecdoche, New York - Charlie Kaufman
• Sangre de mi sangre - Christopher Zalla

Best Supporting Actor (Best Supporting Male)

James Franco - Milk

• Anthony Mackie - The Hurt Locker
• Charlie McDermott - Frozen River
• Jim Myron Ross - Ballast
• Haaz Sleiman - The Visitor

Best Supporting Actress (Best Supporting Female)

Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona

• Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married
• Rosie Perez - The Take
• Misty Upham - Frozen River
• Debra Winger - Rachel Getting Married

References

• Independent Spirit Awards 2009 at Internet Movie Database