Independent films captured 17 Oscars at the 84th Academy Awards including a Best Picture victory by The Artist. The award brings the number of independent films taking Best Picture honors to 20 over the past 31 years according to the Independent Film & Television Alliance. Independent films collected 17 Academy Awards in the following categories: Best Picture The Artist (Wild Bunch The Weinstein Company) Directing Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist (Wild Bunch The Weinstein Company) Actor in a Leading Role Jean Dujardin – The Artist (Wild Bunch The Weinstein Company) Actress in a Leading Role Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady (Pathé International Goldcrest Pictures U.K. Film Council The Weinstein Company) Actor in a Supporting Role Christopher Plummer – Beginners (Focus Features) Writing (Original Screenplay) Woody Allen – Midnight In Paris Foreign Language Film A Separation Animated Feature Film Rango (GK Films) Art Direction Hugo (GK Films) – Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo Cinematography Robert Richardson – Hugo (GK Films) Costume Design Mark Bridges – The Artist (Wild Bunch The Weinstein Company) Documentary (Feature) Undefeated (The Weinstein Company) Makeup Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland – The Iron Lady (Pathé International Goldcrest Pictures U.K. Film Council The Weinstein Company) Music (Original Score) Ludovic Bource – The Artist (Wild Bunch The Weinstein Company) Sound Editing Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty – Hugo (GK Films) Sound Mixing Tom Fleischman and John Midgley – Hugo (GK Films) Visual Effects Rob Legato Joss Williams Ben Grossman and Alex Henning – Hugo (GK Films)