Los Angeles: Iraq war saga `The Hurt
Locker` swept the Oscars today winning six golden statuettes
with Kathryn Bigelow creating history by becoming the first
woman to win the Best Director award.
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Bigelow`s film about a US bomb disposal squad posted
in Iraq and the emotional toll the seven-year-old war has
taken, overcame stiff competition from ex-husband James
Cameron`s blockbuster sci-fi epic `Avatar`.
`The Hurt Locker`, made on a small budget of USD 16
million, bagged the honours for Best Film, Best Original
Screenplay for writer Mark Boal, Editing, Sound Editing and
Mixing.
58-year-old Bigelow become the first woman to win the
Golden Knight in the 82-year-old history of the Academy
Awards. The category is dominated by male filmmakers. Only
three women have been nominated in the Best Director category
--Sofia Coppola, Jane Campion and Lina Wertmuller.
"This really is, there`s no other way to describe it,
it`s the moment of a lifetime," Bigelow said after accepting
the Golden Knight amid a standing ovation by the Oscar crowd.
Cameron, who was seated right behind Bigelow, also
joined in the applause.
The Academy had no surprises in the four acting
categories with first timers Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side),
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Mo`Nique (Precious) and Christoph
Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) winning in the Best Acting and
Supporting categories respectively.
-PTI
