Silver Linings Playbook wins big at Independent Spirit Awards

Los Angeles: `Silver Linings Playbook` has won four Independent Spirit Awards on the eve of the Oscars. The ceremony held in Santa Monica, honours independent movies and is Hollywood`s last big pre-Oscars ritual before the main event. `Silver Linings Playbook`, up for eight Oscars, won Independent Spirit Awards for best film, director, screenplay and actress for Jennifer Lawrence. John Hawkes took best actor for the part of the late disabled journalist and poet Mark O`Brien in `The Sessions`. Hawkes said he hoped the film would help change perceptions of disability. His co-star Helen Hunt - who plays a sex therapist in the film, based on an article written by O`Brien in 1990 - won best supporting actress. Matthew McConaughey, who was also nominated for best actor for `Killer Joe`, picked up the best supporting actor prize for `Magic Mike`, in which he stars alongside his mother. The prize for best foreign film went to Oscar favourite `Amour`, directed by Michael Haneke. Best documentary went to `The Invisible War`, which addresses rape and sexual abuse in the US military. Like `Silver Linings`, Wes Anderson`s `Moonrise Kingdom` was up for five awards - but it went away empty-handed. `Beasts of the Southern Wild` picked up one award out of a possible four, for British cinematographer Ben Richardson. The best first feature prize went to `Perks of Being a Wallflower`, starring Emma Watson. Presenters included Daniel Radcliffe, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Renner. PTI