THE makers of “Sideways,” a bittersweet comedy about two old buddies making a road trip through Northern California’s wine country, broke out the bubbly yesterday – celebrating its six nominations for the Indie Spirit Awards.

The film got a serious Oscar boost with nods for best feature, director Alexander Payne, lead actor Paul Giamatti, supporting actress Virginia Madsen, supporting actor Thomas Haden Church and the screenplay by Payne and Jim Taylor.

“Maria Full of Grace,” a drama about a young Colombian woman who becomes a drug runner, got five nominations, including best feature, director Joshua Marston, and lead actress Catalina Sandino Moreno.

“Kinsey,” a biography of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, won three nods, including best feature, best leading actor Liam Neeson and best screenplay.

Mario Van Peebles scored three nominations for “Badasssss,” his comedy-drama about his father’s struggle to make the landmark black power film “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” – for best feature, best director, and for co-writing the screenplay, though he didn’t get an acting nod.

Newcomer Shane Carruth was similarly passed over for starring in “Primer,” an ultra-low budget sci-fi thriller, but he did get nods for best feature, for best director and for best first screenplay.

The other lead-actor nominations include Kevin Bacon as a child molester trying to go straight in “The Woodsman,” Jeff Bridges as a grief-stricken writer in “The Door in the Floor,” and Jamie Foxx, as an imprisoned L.A. gang member who crusades against violence in “Redemption,” a made-for-TV movie that qualified because it played at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Also nominated as best actress are Kimberly Elise as a death row inmate in “Woman, Thou Are Loosed”; Vera Farmiga as a drug addict in “Down to the Bone”; Judy Marte as a drug dealer in “On the Outs”; and Kyra Sedgwick as an abused wife in “Cavedweller.”

The 20-year-old awards, governed by the Independent Film Project/Los Angeles, will be handed out on Feb. 26, the night before the Oscars.

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” a highly praised independent film, didn’t qualify for nominations because it exceeded the award’s budget limitations.

“Eternal Sunshine” and “I ò Huckabees,” which also exceeded the $12 million budget cap, were both nominated for the first best picture award from IFP/Los Angeles’ sister organization, IFP/New York – which will hand out its rival Gotham Awards tonight in televised ceremonies at the Chelsea Piers.