'Precious' leads 25th Film Independent Spirit Award nonimations

Director Lee Daniels and 'Precious' cast

The independent film Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire led the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations, along with the drama The Last Station --both earning five nods each on Tuesday (December 1).

Actors Taraji P. Henson and Matt Dillon hosted the event.

The Last Station, which opens in theaters Friday, is a drama about the last year in the life of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, and as previously reported, the film "Precious" tells the story of a pregnant African American teenager (Gabourey Sidibe) with an abusive mother (Monique).

Film Independent's Director Dawn Hudson stated:

"It's astonishing to look back upon the wealth of fresh and diverse filmmaking talent that has been nominated over the past 25 years. This year's nominees continue to uphold that independent spirit, and have created exceptional work that we are proud to spotlight and celebrate."

The 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony will air live on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 8p.m. PST on IFC (Independent Film Channel).

Here's a complete list of nominees:

Best feature: "(500) Days of Summer," "Amreeka," "Precious," "Sin Nombre," "The Last Station"

Best director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, "A Serious Man"; Lee Daniels, "Precious"; Cary Joji Fukunaga, "Sin Nombre"; James Gray, "Two Lovers;" Michael Hoffman, "The Last Station"

Best screenplay: Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman, "The Messenger"; Michael Hoffman, "The Last Station"; Lee Toland Krieger, "The Vicious Kind"; Greg Mottola, "Adventureland"; Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, "(500) Days of Summer"

Best first feature: "A Single Man," "Crazy Heart," "Easier With Practice," "Paranormal Activity," "The Messenger"

Best first screenplay: Sophie Barthes, "Cold Souls"; Scott Cooper, "Crazy Heart"; Cherien Dabis, "Amreeka"; Geoffrey Fletcher, "Precious"; Tom Ford, David Scearce, "A Single Man"

John Cassavetes Award: "Big Fan," "Humpday," "The New Year Parade," "Treeless Mountain," "Zero Bridge"

Best female lead: Maria Bello, "Downloading Nancy"; Nisreen Faour, "Amreeka"; Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"; Gwyneth Paltrow, "Two Lovers"' Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"

Best male lead: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"; Colin Firth, "A Single Man"; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "(500) Days of Summer"; Souleymane Sy Savane, "Goodbye Solo"; Adam Scott, "The Vicious Kind"

Best supporting female: Dina Korzun, "Cold Souls"; Mo'Nique, "Precious"; Samantha Morton, "The Messenger"; Natalie Press, "Fifty Dead Men Walking"; Mia Wasikowska, "That Evening Sun"

Best supporting male: Jemaine Clement, "Gentlemen Broncos"; Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"; Christian McKay, "Me and Orson Welles"; Raymond McKinnon, "That Evening Sun"; Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"

Best cinematography: Roger Deakins, "A Serious Man"; Adriano Goldman, "Sin Nombre"; Anne Misawa, "Treeless Mountain"; Andrij Parekh, "Cold Souls"; Peter Zeitlinger, "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans"

Best documentary: "Anvil! The Story of Anvil," "Food, Inc.," "More Than a Game," "October Country," "Which Way Home"

Best foreign film: "A Prophet," "An Education," "Everlasting Moments," "Mother," "The Maid"

Acura Someone to Watch Award: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, "Easier With Practice"; Asiel Norton, "Redland"; Tariq Tapa, "Zero Bridge"

Truer Than Fiction Award: Natalia Almada, "El General"; Jessica Oreck, "Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo"; Bill Ross, Turner Ross, "45365"

Piaget Producers Award: Karin Chien, ("The Exploding Girl," "Santa Mesa"); Larry Fessenden, ("I Sell the Dead," "The House of the Devil"); Dia Sokol, ("Beeswax," "Nights & Weekends")