"The Artist," produced by Thomas Langmann, won best feature at the Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday. The black-and-white homage to silent cinema, which is also nominated for 10 Oscars, is considered a best picture front-runner heading into Sunday's 84th Academy Awards ceremony.

The top prizes for the independent film community, the Spirit Awards trophies are handed out in 14 competitive categories. The afternoon affair is designed to be a more casual answer to the motion picture academy's lavish Oscar gala.

"The Artist's" Michel Hazanavicius was honored for best director, star Jean Dujardin won best male lead for his turn as a movie idol whose fame is on the wane and Guillaume Schiffman won the cinematography prize for the film.

Only Hazanavicius was on hand to claim his statuette, however; the other two men had not yet arrived from Paris, where "The Artist" collected even more accolades this weekend at France's Cesar Awards.

Other winners included Michelle Williams, who was named best actress for her portrayal of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in "My Week With Marilyn." Christopher Plummer was named best supporting actor for his role in "Beginners," in which he plays a widower who reveals he's gay.

The actor accepted the prize with a quip in keeping with the irreverent nature of the beach-side Santa Monica ceremony hosted this year by actor Seth Rogen.

"It's taken me the longest time to realize that the Spirit Awards have nothing to do with booze," said Plummer.

Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, who wrote the script for "The Descendants," won best screenplay for their film, which Payne also directed, about an indifferent father forced to reexamine his life. Shailene Woodley captured the supporting female award for her work in the drama.

Iran's "A Separation," directed by Asghar Farhadi, was honored as best international film. "The Interrupters," which follows people who work as "violence interrupters" to intervene in conflicts in their communities before they get out of hand, won best documentary.

Will Reiser won best first screenplay for "50/50," a cancer-themed comedy inspired by his experiences battling the disease. Director J.C. Chandor's "Margin Call" won for best first feature and also took home the Robert Altman Award, which recognizes a film's director, casting director and ensemble cast.

The John Cassavetes Award, which honors the best film made for less than $500,000, went to "Pariah" writer-director Dee Rees and producer Nekisa Cooper. The movie tells the story of a black teenager embracing her identity as a lesbian.

Heather Courtney, director of "Where Soldiers Come From," was presented with the Truer Than Fiction Award; Sophia Lin, producer of the drama "Take Shelter," earned the Piaget Producers Award; and Mark Jackson, director of "Without," won the Someone to Watch Award.

Benjamin Murray and Alysa Nahmias received the Jameson FIND Your Audience Award for their documentary "Unfinished Spaces," which tells the story of three architects invited back to Cuba after four decades in exile.

美国当地时间2月25日，一年一度的电影独立精神奖公布获奖名单。颁奖季大热影片《艺术家》独揽最佳影片、最佳导演、最佳男主、最佳摄影四项大奖，为即将揭晓的奥斯卡又添获胜砝码。

从去年戛纳电影节，《艺术家》就开始逐步展现出强劲的态势，被一向目光精准的维恩斯坦公司买下发行权。而在随后的颁奖季上，本片果然不负众望，横扫大大小小多个奖项，甚至被特纳经典电影频道列入“影史上最具影响力的十部默片”行列。

独立精神奖创立于1984年，以表彰除美国各大影业巨头以外独立制片的优秀电影作品，最初名为“独立之友奖”，1986年正式更名，现今已成为美国独立制片界的最高荣誉奖，其赢家《阳光小美女》、《朱诺》等均在奥斯卡上大放异彩。不过该奖项在“最佳影片”方面与奥斯卡的口味却总是大相径庭，上一次两奖吻合还要回溯到1986年前的《野战排》，不知《艺术家》能否改写25年以来的记录呢？