'Spotlight' leads Spirit Award winners; diversity takes center stage

By Piya Sinha-Roy SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Reuters) - The journalism drama "Spotlight" led the winners at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards with four accolades, including the night's top prize for best feature, at an event where diversity was front and center as black and transgender actors won key awards. "Spotlight," about the Boson Globe's probe into Catholic church child abuse and which is the Oscar best picture front-runner, also won Spirit Awards for best director, best screenplay and best editing. The Spirit Awards honor independent films made within a $20 million budget and often recognize films that go on to win Oscars the next day, such as dark comedy "Birdman" last year.