THE much awaited 82nd Academy Awards finally awarded trophies to outstanding people behind and in front of the camera Monday morning (Philippine time).
The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, is an annual gathering of people in the film industry, including writers, directors, and actors, to recognize their outstanding contribution in the field of movies.
Among the stars who graced the red carpet are power couples Mark Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, George Clooney and Elisabetta Canalis, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, Robin Thicke and Paula Patton, Sam Worthington and Natalie Mark, mother and daughter Tish and Miley Cyrus and Charlize and Greta Theron.
Other stars who attended the event are Demi Moore, Cameron Diaz, Chris Pine, Gerald Butler, Penelope Cruz, Kate Winslet, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Zac Efron, Zoe Saldana, Diane Kruger, Ryan Reynolds, Rachel McAdams, Carey Mulligan, Anna Kendrick, Vera Farmiga, Amanda Seyfried, Elizabeth Banks Mariah Carey, Bradley Cooper, Matt Damon, and Twilight stars Taylor Lautner and Kirsten Stewart who were also presenters during the event.
Actor Christoph Waltz won the Best Supporting Actor trophy for the movie “Inglourious Basterds” while Mo'Nique won for Best Supporting Actress for the movie "Precious: based on the Novel Push by Sapphire."
Jeff Bridges took home the Best Actor award for the movie "Crazy Heart" while Sandra Bullock won the Best Actress trophy for "The Blind Side."
It was the first nomination and Oscar of Bullock. During her speech, she shared her title with co-Best Actress nominees Helen Mirren for "The Last Station," Carey Mulligan for "An Education," Gabourey Sidibe for "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire," and Meryl Streep for "Julie & Julia."
Bullock was escorted by her husband Jesse James.
Kathryn Bigelow meanwhile won the Best Director trophy making her the first woman director who took home the Oscars.
Bigelow directed the Iraq war movie "The Hurt Locker," which also took home the Best Picture award.
She beated "Avatar" directed by James Cameron, with whom she was married in 1989 and was divorced in 1991, Quentin Tarantino for "Inglourious Basterds," Lee Daniels for "Precious," and Jason Reitman for "Up in the Air."
This year's Oscars marked another surprise as the Academy featured 10 Best Picture movies instead of five, a practice which was discontinued after the 1943 Oscars award.
Nominees for this year's Best Picture are Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Up, A Serious Man and Up in the Air.
Other winners in the 82nd Academy Awards include:
Best Original Screenplay:
Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker)
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious)
Best Animated Film:
Pete Docter (Up)
Best Foreign Language Film:
The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) - Argentina
Best Art Direction:
Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair (Avatar)
Cinematography:
Mauro Fiore (Avatar)
Editing:
Bob Murawski and Chris Innis (The Hurt Locker)
Sound Mixing:
Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett (The Hurt Locker)
Sound Editing:
Paul N.J. Ottosson (The Hurt Locker)
Original Score:
Michael Giacchino (Up)
Original Song:
"The Weary Kind" - Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett (Crazy Heart)
Costume:
Sandy Powell (The Young Victoria)
Documentary Feature:
Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens (The Cove)
Documentary (Short Subject):
Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett (Music by Prudence)
Makeup:
Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow (Star Trek)
Animated Short Film:
Nicolas Schmerkin (Logorama)
Live Action Short Film:
Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson (The New Tenants)
Visual Effects:
Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones (Avatar)
The Oscars was held in Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles California and was hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.
The awards night will be aired on Velvet on March 8 at 7 p.m. and an encore telecast on March 13 at 7 p.m.
The gathering of stars will also be shown on ABS-CBN on March 14 on Sunday's Best and a primetime telecast on Studio 23 on March 9 at 7 p.m. (Glaiza Jarloc/Sunnex)