The Independent Spirit Awards give props to women in film

Last year, Ellen Page may not have won an Oscar for her role as pregnant teen, Juno, but she did win Best Female Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards. In the awards' three decades of existence, great actresses have been recognized for their roles in indie films, from Jodie Foster for her performance in Five Corners to Ally Sheedy in High Art.

In other words, the Indie Spirit Awards are way more lesbian-friendly than the Academy Awards.

The nominees for 2009 have just been announced, and three of the films include minor lesbian characters (The Wrestler, Milk, Synecdoche, New York). (There are four if you count Vicky Cristina Barcelona).

Several of the films include strong female leads (Rachel Getting Married, Wendy and Lucy) and some come from female directors and screenwriters (Sugar, Frozen River).

Synecdoche, New York

Some of the nominees in their respective categories are as follows:

Best Feature

Rachel Getting Married, The Wrestler, Wendy and Lucy, Ballast, Frozen River

Best First Screenplay

Dustin Lance Black (Milk), Lance Hammer (Ballast), Courtney Hunt (Frozen River), Jonathan Levine (The Wackness), Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married)

Best Female Lead

Summer Bishil (Towelhead), Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Tarra Riggs (Ballast), Michelle Williams (Wendy and Lucy)

Wendy and Lucy

Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married), Rosie Perez (The Take), Misty Upham (Frozen River), Debra Winger (Rachel Getting Married)

You can read the rest of the nominations here. Are there any indie films that were left out or not recognized enough? And do you count Vicky Cristina Barcelona as a lesbian film?