Shock victory for 'Crash' at Academy Awards

Racial drama 'Crash' was the shock success at the 78th Academy Awards last night, beating the favourite 'Brokeback Mountain' to win the Best Film Oscar.

The drama, which starred an ensemble cast including Matt Dillon, Thandie Newton and Terrence Howard, also won best original screenplay for director Paul Haggis and co-writer Bobby Moresco.

It was a disappointing night for gay cowboy romance 'Brokeback Mountain', which had been the runaway winner at several other awards ceremonies. However, it did manage to win three awards out of its eight nominations, winning the best-adapted screenplay and best original score awards, while Ang Lee collected the Best Director Oscar.

There were few surprises in the acting awards, with Phillip Seymour Hoffman's multi-award-winning turn as author Truman Capote in 'Capote' earning him his first Best Actor Oscar.

Reese Witherspoon, who starred as June Carter Cash in Johnny Cash biopic 'Walk The Line', collected the Best Actress Oscar, disappointing British favourites Dame Judi Dench and Keira Knightley, who had been nominated for their respective roles in 'Mrs Henderson Presents' and 'Pride and Prejudice'.

However, there was success for the British representative in the Best Supporting Actress category, as Rachel Weisz collected the Oscar for her role in political thriller 'The Constant Gardener'.

British animation company Aardman Animations collected the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film for 'Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Wererabbit'. It is the fourth Oscar for the Bristol-based firm and the third for Wallace and Gromit, with previous short films 'The Wrong Trousers' and 'A Close Shave' also winning Oscars.

There was also cause for celebration for George Clooney. His second directorial offering 'Good Night and Good Luck' received six nominations, including nods for Best Director and Best Film, but although it failed to win, Clooney was named Best Supporting Actor for his role as an ageing CIA agent in Middle East oil drama 'Syriana'.

Other winners included South African drama 'Tsotsi', which won in the Best Foreign Language Film category and 'March of the Penguins', the nature documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman, which won Best Documentary feature.

Award-winning playwright Martin McDonagh was also victorious in the Best Live Action Short category for his film debut 'Six Shooter'.

(KMcA/GB)