HOLLYWOOD -- "Rambling Rose," the wistful story of a young woman's romances and her impact on an upstanding Southern family, was named best American film produced outside of the Hollywood studio system at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards party.

"Rose" also picked up an award for director Martha Coolidge and another for best supporting actress Diane Ladd, who is also a nominee in that category at tonight's Academy Awards.

The day's other top winner was "My Own Private Idaho," a story of discovery between two streetwise gay hustlers. Gus Van Sant, who also directed the film, won prizes for screenplay and music, and River Phoenix was selected as best actor.

Held amid the weekend hoopla leading up to the Oscar ceremony, the annual Spirit Awards, given by the Independent Features Project/West, serves as a counterpoint to the dressy, high-gloss Academy Award affair.

First-time director Matty Rich, 20, won the Spirit Award for best first feature film, for "Straight Out of Brooklyn."

Coolidge told of how "Rambling Rose" took five years to come to the screen. She acknowledged difficulties in Hollywood for women, noting: "I was told when I applied to graduate film school that I couldn't be a director because I was a woman."