'Juno' wins big at Spirit Awards

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 23 (UPI) -- The quirky big-screen comedy "Juno" won the prize for best feature at the 2008 Film Independent Spirit Awards Saturday in Santa Monica, Calif.

The movie's star, Ellen Page, earned the best lead actress statuette, while scribe Diablo Cody took home the award for best first screenplay.

"Juno," Page and Cody are all nominated for Oscars, which will be presented in Los Angeles Sunday.

Julian Schnabel was named best director for "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly."

Philip Seymour Hoffman won the prize for best lead actor for his work in "The Savages," a film that also garnered the best screenplay award for Tamara Jenkins.

Cate Blanchett won the statuette for best supporting actress for playing music icon Bob Dylan in "I'm Not There." She dedicated the award to her late co-star Heath Ledger.

Chiwetel Ejiofor won the best supporting actor honor for "Talk to Me."

The Irish musical "Once" was named best foreign feature and Scott Frank won the prize for best first feature for "The Lookout."

Rainn Wilson, one of the stars of the TV comedy, "The Office," served as host of the awards presentation.