‘Juno’ spirit reigns at independent film awards show

Published 10:44 pm Saturday, February 23, 2008

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The quirky coming-of-age comedy “Juno” cleaned up Saturday at the Film Independent Spirit Awards as it continues 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 also competes Sunday night in the best picture category against darker fare such as “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 his last films, “I’m Not There,” won two honors.