'Silver Linings Playbook' wins big at Spirit awards

"Silver Linings Playbook" only picked up one Oscar this weekend, thanks to Jennifer Lawrence, but the cast was fresh off a stretch of wins at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

Held on Saturday, the Spirit awards handed four honors to "Silver Linings Playbook," including best director, best screenplay, best female lead and best feature.

Filmmaker David O. Russell, who accepted the directing and writing awards for "Silver Linings," called the recognition "overwhelming."

"I feel very blessed to make a film in the first place, and I feel very blessed when I get a cast that embraces and puts their hearts into the film," David O. Russell, who accepted the directing and writing awards, told CNN.

"I’m glad I, at least today, was able to say things about the cast and my son and all the families who have faced any of these struggles," the filmmaker continued. "Because many of them have come forward to me - so many families, families of professional athletes, of stars, of regular people, veterans who’ve come home - and I never anticipated that ever. Veterans have said, 'That’s me when I come home from Iraq and my family doesn’t know what to do with me, and I don’t know what to do with me. And thank you for making this a dialogue.'"

Helen Hunt, who lost out on the best supporting actress Oscar to Anne Hathaway, did win the Spirit award in that category on Saturday. Her co-star, John Hawkes, was snubbed by the Academy but won the best male lead Spirit award.

"Magic Mike's" Matthew McConaughey won the best supporting male actor award, while "Amour" picked up another honor as the night's best international film.

For a full list of winners, visit SpiritAwards.com.