SANTA MONICA: Silent movie "The Artist" won another pre-Oscars boost barely 24 hours before the big show on Sunday, but its French director admitted he was "nervous" as the moment of truth neared.
The black-and-white movie took three main prizes at the independent Spirit film awards on Saturday: best feature, best director for Michel Hazanavicius and best actor for Jean Dujardin.
"The Artist," a tribute to the silent movie era which is nominated in 10 categories for the Oscars, also won the best cinematography Spirit prize, handed out in a huge beach-front tent in Santa Monica.
"I'm a little bit nervous. I'm realizing that I'm a bit tense because the outside pressure is rising considerably," Hazanavicius told AFP at the Spirit Awards, shortly after arriving in California following the French Cesars.
"As a general rule, I'm pretty relaxed, and rather calm, but I'm starting to feel nervous."
The film has scooped a string of prizes during the annual awards season, including a Golden Globe for best musical/comedy, a Screen Actors Guild best actor for Dujardin and a Directors Guild of America prize for Hazanavicius.
It has also triumphed around the world, including at Britain's BAFTAs, Spain's Goyas, and won best film, director and actor at the Australian Film Institute awards.
The French film also shone at home two days ahead of the 84th Academy Awards, netting best film and a string of other awards at France's annual Cesars.
Hazanavicius won both best film and best director at the 37th Cesars ceremony at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris.
"The Artist" also picked up best score for the 1920s and 1930s-inspired soundtrack by composer Ludovic Bource, as well as best set design and best cinematography.
At the Spirit awards, Michelle Williams won best actress for playing screen icon Marilyn Monroe in "My Week with Marilyn," while Alexander Payne scooped best screenplay for Hawaii-based "The Descendants," starring George Clooney.
Best supporting actor honors went to Christopher Plummer for "Beginners," while the best supporting actress award was won by Shailene Woodley, who plays the older daughter of Clooney's character in "The Descendants."
Best foreign film went to Iran's "A Separation" by director Asghar Farhadi, which is heavily tipped to win that category at the Academy Awards on Sunday, over films from Poland, Canada, Belgium and Israel. Hazanavicius said the Spirits triumph for "The Artist" was of particular significance.
"It's a prize given out by people who take risks, who make non-formulaic films, people who make movies with complete independence and freedom," the French director said.
"To receive a prize from these people, that means that the soul of the film has not been completely lost in the perception which certain people have of it, with the race for the Oscars, et cetera," he added.
At the Oscars, the climax of Hollywood's annual awards season, "The Artist" has one fewer nomination than veteran director Martin Scorsese's 3D adventure "Hugo," with 11 nods.
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