Perfect 6-for-6 sweep: 'Moonlight' walks through the Indie Spirits

In the beginning, there was Moonlight. At the end, there was also Moonlight.

Writer/director Barry Jenkins' deeply resonant cinematic tryptich of a young Miami man's life won all six Independent Spirit Awards for which it was nominated Saturday -- including the first award given away, and the last -- a triumphant result for the film many hope can upset La La Land at the Academy Awards.

Moonlight was the odds-on favorite at the Indie Spirits, but a sweep was hardly guaranteed. It became a reality, though, over the course of an afternoon beneath a giant white tent on the beach near the Santa Monica Pier.

It was also a new record for most Indie Spirit wins by a single film. Honors included Best Feature, Best Director, the Robert Altman Award for best ensemble cast, Best Screenplay and Best Editing.

Now it's on to the Oscars for Moonlight, which is predicted to run into a La La Land juggernaut on Sunday at the Academy Awards. But it's believed to be the best contender, and though Oscar voting closed days ago, is now riding a wave of enthusiasm from a big, perfect sweep at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Film Independent limits its eligible films by budget, and is believed to cap nominees around $20 million -- meaning several Oscar contenders like La La Land, though produced outside the major studio system, are not eligible.