On Oscar-night’s eve, quirky comedy ‘Juno’ wins three major Spirit Awards

The quirky coming-of-age comedy “Juno” cleaned up Saturday at the Film Independent Spirit Awards as it continued its Cinderella season going into tonight’s Academy Awards.

And actress Ellen Page and stripper-turned-screenwriter Diablo Cody are clearly the belles of the ball.

“Juno” won for best feature film, best actress honors for Page and best first screenplay for Cody at the awards show, held Saturday afternoon in a tent alongside the sand in Santa Monica. Page and Cody are also nominated for Oscars along with director Jason Reitman.

The film about a pregnant teen has been this awards season’s critical darling -- and standout, as it competes tonight in the best picture category against darker fare: “No Country for Old Men,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Michael Clayton” and “Atonement.”

“This is so, so special,” Page said in accepting her award Saturday.

“This is pretty much Diablo Cody’s fault,” she joked.

Made on a shoestring budget, “Juno” is the only best picture nominee to surpass the $100-million box office mark, which has buoyed supporters of independent film.

That giddiness was in full swing Saturday -- it was the Independent Spirit Awards, after all -- but levity gave way to several somber moments to remember Heath Ledger, who died in January of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

One of Ledger’s last films, “I’m Not There” -- in which a Bob Dylan-esque character is played by several performers -- won two honors, including the inaugural Robert Altman Award, given to a film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

Director Todd Haynes, accepting the award, said the recognition was particularly bittersweet in the wake of Ledger’s death.

“We all love him so dearly,” Haynes said. “I treasure the time we spent together on this.”

Earlier, actress Cate Blanchett dedicated her best supporting actress award to Ledger. The pregnant Blanchett, who won for playing a man in the film, said in accepting the award that Ledger “was probably one of the most beautiful independent spirits of all.”

Other awards: Best cinematography went to Janusz Kaminski for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”; best director went to Julian Schnabel, also for “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”; best documentary went to filmmaker Dan Klores’ “Crazy Love”; the Truer than Fiction award went to filmmaker Laurel Dunn for “The Unforeseen”; and the producers award went to Neil Kopp for “Paranoid Park” and “Old Joy.”

Philip Seymour Hoffman won best male lead for playing a son dealing with an aging father in “The Savages.” He was expressing surprise at his win when he was interrupted by a fan in the crowd who shouted, “I love you!” He thanked the fan and then went on to call the film’s screenplay by Tamara Jenkins “one of the best I’ve ever read.”

Minutes later, Jenkins won for best screenplay.

The Someone to Watch Award went to filmmaker Ramin Bahrani for “Chop Shop.” Best foreign film went to the Irish romance-with-music charmer “Once.” Chiwetel Ejiofor won for best supporting male for “Talk to Me,” and “The Lookout” won for best first feature film. The John Cassavetes Award honoring filmmaking on a meager budget went to “August Evening.”

Over the last two decades, the Spirit Awards has become one of Hollywood’s hippest, hottest events. The town’s biggest stars leave their tuxes, designer gowns and precious jewelry at home and opt instead to wear jeans, leather jackets and off-the-rack dresses.

As the name suggests, the Independent Spirit Awards celebrate independent, low-budget filmmaking. Eligible films must be at least 70 minutes long; cost of the completed film, including postproduction, has to be less than $20 million.

Judging by the laughter and applause, Rainn Wilson of the NBC series “The Office” proved popular as host of the ceremony, shown live and uncut on the Independent Film Channel.

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susan.king@latimes.com