Sunshine heads Spirit film list

Quirky comedy Little Miss Sunshine is the leading contender at the Independent Spirit Awards, along with drugs drama Half Nelson. Both films have picked up five nominations each, among them best feature and best director. Robert Altman, who died last week, also received a nomination for his work on A Prairie Home Companion.

The awards, for low-budget films, will be held in Los Angeles on 24 February - the day before the Oscars. Although there is usually some crossover among nominees for the two award ceremonies, it is rare for the winners to be shared. Gritty school drama. Last year was different as Oscar voters did recognise various independent low-budget movies such as Crash and Brokeback Mountain that had been honoured at the Spirit Awards.

Also nominated for best film this year are American Gun, The Dead Girl and Pan's Labyrinth. Gritty school-based drama Half Nelson sees best actor nominee Ryan Gosling play a teacher addicted to crack. Co-star Shareeka Epps has been nominated in the female lead category, alongside Catherine O'Hara of For Your Consideration, Elizabeth Reaser for Sweet Land, Michelle Williams for Land of Plenty and Robin Wright Penn for Sorry, Haters.

The best male actor category also features Aaron Eckhart for Thank You For Smoking, Edward Norton for The Painted Veil, Ahmad Razvi for Man Push Cart and Forest Whitaker for American Gun. Little Miss Sunshine stars Alan Arkin and Paul Dano will be competing against each other for best supporting actor. Writer Michael Arndt is also nominated for best first screenplay for the film, which revolves around a family's cross-country trip to attend a beauty pageant.

- BBC