"Juno" wins indie Spirit top honor
The teen pregnancy comedy "Juno" has been chosen the year's best independent film at the Spirit Awards. The film was written by former Twin Cities resident Diablo Cody, who won the award for best first screenplay and is also up for original screenplay at tomorrow night's Academy Awards. The film's star, Ellen Page, won best actress.
The ceremony was a warmup for the Academy Awards, where "Juno" and Page are in the running in the same categories.
"Juno" director Jason Reitman missed out on the directing award, which went to Julian Schnabel for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly."
Philip Seymour Hoffman won best actor for the sibling drama "The Savages."
The ceremony in Santa Monica, California, also paid tribute to actor Heath Ledger, who died of a prescription drug overdose last month at his New York apartment.
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