2009 winners
An underdog film about an underdog was the star of last year's awards
Danny Boyle won the best director Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire.Kevin Winter
Simon Beaufoy took home the prize for best adapted screenplay for, what else, Slumdog Millionaire.GABRIEL BOUYS
Sean Penn won best actor for his portrayal of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk in Milk.
Kate Winslet won best actress for her portrayal of an illiterate former Nazi prison guard in The Reader.Melinda Sue Gordon
Heath Ledger died shortly before the release of The Dark Knight, in which he plays the Joker. He was awarded the best supporting actor Oscar for his disturbing portrayal.
Penelope Cruz won best supporting actress for her role in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
WALL-E, about a lonely robot assigned to clean up a filthy Earth, won best animated feature.tzohr
Man on Wire, which looks at the daring career of Philippe Petit, won best documentary feature.
The Japanese film departures took the prize for best foreign language film.