24th Independent Spirit Awards


The 24th Independent Spirit Awards, honoring the best in independent filmmaking for 2008, were announced on February 21, 2009. It was hosted by Steve Coogan.

Winners and nominees

Best FeatureBest Director
The Wrestler
Tom McCarthy - The Visitor
  • Ramin Bahrani - Chop Shop
  • Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
  • Lance Hammer - Ballast
  • Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
    • Best Male LeadBest Female Lead
    Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
  • Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  • Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
  • Sean Penn - Milk
  • Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
    		• Melissa Leo - Frozen River
  • Summer Bishil - Towelhead
  • Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
  • Tarra Riggs - Ballast
  • Michelle Williams - Wendy and Lucy
    • Best Supporting MaleBest Supporting Female
    James Franco - Milk
  • Anthony Mackie - The Hurt Locker
  • Charlie McDermott - Frozen River
  • Jim Myron Ross - Ballast
  • Haaz Sleiman - The Visitor
    		• Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  • Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married
  • Rosie Perez - The Take
  • Misty Upham - Frozen River
  • Debra Winger - Rachel Getting Married
    • Best ScreenplayBest First Screenplay
    Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Woody Allen
  • Sangre de Mi Sangre - Christopher Zalla
  • Savage Grace - Howard A. Rodman
  • Sugar - Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
  • Synecdoche, New York - Charlie Kaufman
    		• Milk - Dustin Lance Black
  • Ballast - Lance Hammer
  • Frozen River - Courtney Hunt
  • Rachel Getting Married - Jenny Lumet
  • The Wackness - Jonathan Levine
    • Best First FeatureBest Documentary
    Synecdoche, New York
  • Afterschool
  • Medicine for Melancholy
  • Sangre de Mi Sangre
  • Sleep Dealer
    		• Man on Wire
  • The Betrayal
  • Encounters at the End of the World
  • The Order of Myths
  • Up the Yangtze
    • Best CinematographyBest Foreign Film
    The Wrestler - Maryse Alberti
  • Ballast - Lol Crawley
  • Chop Shop - Michael Simmonds
  • Medicine for Melancholy - James Laxton
  • Milk - Harris Savides
    		• The Class • France
  • Gomorrah • Italy
  • Hunger • Ireland/UK
  • The Secret of the Grain • France
  • Silent Light • Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany

    • Films with multiple nominations and awards

    AwardsFilm
    3The Wrestler
    2Vicky Cristina Barcelona

    Special Awards

    [Independent Spirit [John Cassavetes Award|John Cassavetes Award]]

    In Search of a Midnight Kiss
    The Order of Myths
    'Heather Rae - Frozen River and Ibid
    'Lynn Shelton - My Effortless Brilliance