The cinematic tale about a dysfunctional family on a multi-state journey bound for an ill-fated junior beauty pageant won best picture and three other prizes for independent films at the Spirit Awards ceremony held near Los Angeles.

    The awards, which honor films made with budgets of less than 20 million dollars, was presented in a ceremony on the beach in the coastal town of Santa Monica.

    "Little Miss Sunshine" also won for best directors, best supporting male and best first screenplay. Jason Reitman of "Thank You For Smoking" won for best screenplay.

    Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps, who starred in Think Film's "Half Nelson," the story of a drug-addled junior high school teacher's relationship with one of his students, won best male lead and best female lead.

    "Sweet Land" won best first feature, marking the first time in the history of the Spirit Awards that a film without a distributor won this prize.

    The ceremony included a special tribute to the late director Robert Altman, with the posthumous presentation of an Honorary Spirit Award to the late director.

    Spirit Awards organizers also announced the creation of the Robert Altman Award, which will be presented for the first time next year to a film's ensemble cast and director.

    Friday's ceremony included a "special distinction award" presentation to David Lynch and Laura Dern, honoring their collaborative work.

    "The Lives of Others" from Germany won the best foreign film, while "The Road to Guantanamo" directed by Michael Winter bottom and Mat White cross won best documentary.

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