Independent Spirit Awards Gives The Artist Best Feature, Best Director, Best Actor

Silent film takes home indie trophies for thespian Jean Dujardin, helmer Michel Hazanavicius and cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman

By Sierra Marquina Feb 26, 2012 1:54 AMTags
The Artist, Berenice Bejo, Jean Dujardin The Weinstein Company

The Artist takes the crown—again!

The 27th annual Independent Sprirt Awards were dealt out by host Seth Rogen in Santa Monica on Saturday, granting the silent film and Oscar favorite The Artist the Best Feature nod and three other trophies.

The flick earned the Best Director for Michel Hazanavicius, Best Cinematographer for Guillaume Schiffman and Best Lead Actor award for Jean Dujardin, with Dujardin beating out Demian Bechir (A Better Life), Woody Harrelson (Rampart), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter) and even hottie Ryan Gosling (Drive).

Michelle Williams stole some spotlight as well, topping Lauren Ambrose (Think of Me), Rachael Harris (Natural Selection), Adepero Oduye (Pariah) and newcomer Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) by nabbing the best actress award for her take on Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn.

As for supporting actor and actress, Christopher Plummer scored a new one for the shelf, winning for Beginners and Shailene Woodley won for her role alongside George Clooney in The Descendants. Shailene accepted her win by observing, "those four months shaped my young adult life." Congrats to all!

The telecast of the awards, hosted by funnyman Rogen, airs tonight at 10:00 pm ET/PT on IFC.

Here's a complete list of winners:

Best Feature: The Artist—Producer: Thomas Langmann 

Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius—The Artist

Best Male Lead: Jean Dujardin—The Artist

Best Female Lead: Michelle Williams—My Week with Marilyn

Best Supporting Male: Christopher Plummer—Beginners

Best Supporting Female: Shailene Woodley—The Descendants

Best First Feature: Margin Call—Director: J.C. Chandor

Best Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim RashThe Descendants

Best First Screenplay: Will Reiser50/50

Best Cinematography: Guillaume Schiffman—The Artist

Robert Altman Award: Margin Call

Best Documentary: The Interrupters—Director/Producer: Steve James; Producer: Alex Kotlowitz

Best Foreign Film: A Separation (Iran)—Director: Asghar Farhadi

John Cassavetes Award: Pariah—Writer/Director: Dee Rees; Producer: Nekisa Cooper

Audi Someone to Watch Award: Mark JacksonWithout

Truer Than Fiction Award: Heather CourtneyWhere Soldiers Come From

Piaget Producers Award: Sophia LinTake Shelter