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"Slumdog Millionaire" took the best-picture
Academy Award and seven other Oscars on Sunday, including director
for Danny Boyle, whose ghetto-to-glory story paralleled the film's
unlikely rise to Hollywood's summit.


      The other top winners: Kate Winslet, best actress for the
Holocaust-themed drama "The Reader"; Sean Penn, best actor for
the title role of "Milk"; Heath Ledger, supporting actor for
"The Dark Knight"; and Penelope Cruz, supporting actress for
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona."


      A story of hope amid squalor in Mumbai, India, "Slumdog
Millionaire" came in with 10 nominations, its eight wins including
adapted screenplay, cinematography, editing and both music Oscars
(score and song).


      "Just to say to Mumbai, all of you who helped us make the film
and all of those of you who didn't, thank you very much. You dwarf
even this guy," Boyle said, holding up his directing Oscar.


      The filmmakers accepted the best-picture trophy surrounded by
both the adult professional actors who appeared among the cast of
relative unknowns and some of the children Boyle cast from the
slums of Mumbai.


      The film follows the travails and triumphs of Jamal, an orphan
who artfully dodges a criminal gang that mutilates children to make
them more pitiable beggars. 

Jamal witnesses his mother's violent
death, endures police torture and struggles with betrayal by his
brother, while single-mindedly hoping to reunite with the lost love
of his childhood.


      Fate rewards Jamal, whose story unfolds through flashbacks as he
recalls how he came to know the answers that made him a champion on
India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire."


      As he took the stage to accept his prize for playing slain
gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk, Penn gleefully told the crowd:
"You commie, homo-loving sons of guns."


      He followed with a condemnation of anti-gay protesters who
demonstrated near the Oscar site, and comments about California's
recent vote to ban gay marriage.


      "For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in
tonight, I think it's a good time for those who voted for the ban
against gay marriage to sit and reflect on their great shame and
their shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that
support," Penn said. "We've got to have equal rights for
everyone."


      For his demented reinvention of Batman villain the Joker, Ledger
became only the second actor ever to win posthumously, his triumph
coming exactly 13 months after his death from an accidental
overdose of prescription drugs.


      His Oscar for the Warner Bros. blockbuster was accepted by
Ledger's parents and sister on behalf of the actor's 3-year-old
daughter, Matilda.


      "I have to say this is ever so humbling, just being amongst
such wonderful people in such a wonderful industry," said his
father, Kim Ledger. "We'd like to thank the academy for
recognizing our son's amazing work, Warner Bros., and Christopher
Nolan in particular for allowing Heath the creative license to
develop and explore this crazy Joker character."


      Since his death, the 28-year-old Ledger has gained a mythic aura
akin to James Dean, another rising star who died at a young age. 


      The Joker was his final completed role, a casting choice that
initially drew scorn from fans who thought Ledger would not be up
to the task given Jack Nicholson's gleefully campy rendition of the
character in 1989's "Batman."


      In the months before Ledger's death, buzz on his wickedly
chaotic performance swelled as marketing for the movie centered on
the Joker and the perverted clown makeup he hid behind.


      Ledger's death fanned a frenzy of anticipation for "The Dark
Knight," which had a record $158.4 million opening weekend last
summer.


      The previous posthumous Oscar recipient was Peter Finch, who won
best actor for 1976's "Network" two months after his death.


      Cruz triumphed as a woman in a steamy three-way affair with her
ex-husband and an American woman in Woody Allen's romance.


      "Has anybody ever fainted here? Because I might be the first
one," Cruz said, who went on with warm thanks to Allen. "Thank
you, Woody, for trusting me with this beautiful character. Thank
you for having written all these years some of the greatest
characters for women."


      "OK, that fainting thing, Penelope," Winslet joked later as
she accepted her best-actress prize for "The Reader," in which
she plays a former concentration camp guard in an affair with a
teen. "I'd be lying if I haven't made a version of this speech
before. I think I was probably 8 years old and staring into the
bathroom mirror, and this would be a shampoo bottle. But it's not a
shampoo bottle now."


      It was Winslet's first win after five previous losses.


      "Slumdog" writer Simon Beaufoy, who adapted the script from
Vikas Swarup's novel "Q&A," said there are places he never could
imagine being.


      "For me, it's the moon, the South Pole, the Miss World podium,
and here," Beaufoy said.


      The epic love story "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,"
which led with 13 nominations, had three wins, for visual effects,
art direction and makeup.


      "The Dark Knight" had a second win, for sound editing.


      "Milk" writer Dustin Lance Black offered an impassioned
tribute to Milk.


      "If Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he
would want me to say to all the gay and lesbian kids out there
tonight who have been told they are less than by the churches, by
the government, by their families, that you are beautiful,
wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what anyone tells
you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will
have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours,"
Black said.


      "Man on Wire," James Marsh's examination of tight-rope walker
Philippe Petit's dazzling stroll between the towers of the World
Trade Center in 1974, was chosen as best documentary.


      The acting categories were presented by five past winners of the
same awards, among them last year's actress winners, Marion
Cotillard and Tilda Swinton, plus Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Kevin
Kline, Sophia Loren, Anthony Hopkins, Shirley MacLaine and Robert
De Niro.


      It was a much different style for the Oscars as each past
recipient offered personal tributes to one of the nominees, without
clips of the nominated performances. Awards usually are done in
chit-chat style between a couple of celebrity presenters.


      After last year's Oscars delivered their worst TV ratings ever,
producers this time aimed to liven up the show with some surprises
and new ways of presenting awards. 

Rather than hiring a comedian
such as past hosts Jon Stewart or Chris Rock, the producers went
with actor and song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman, who has been host
of Broadway's Tony Awards.


      Instead of the usual standup routine, Jackman did an engaging
musical number to open the show, saluting nominated films with a
clever tribute.


      Jackman later did a medley staged by his "Australia" director
Baz Luhrmann with such performers as Beyonce Knowles and "High
School Musical" stars Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron.


      "Slumdog Millionaire" went into the evening after a run of
prizes from earlier film honors.


      The film nearly got lost in the shuffle as Warner Bros. folded
its art-house banner, Warner Independent, which had been slated to
distribute "Slumdog Millionaire." It was rescued from the
direct-to-video scrap heap when Fox Searchlight stepped in to
release the film.


      "Slumdog" composer A.R. Rahman, a dual Oscar winner for the
score and song, said the movie was about "optimism and the power
of hope."


      "All my life, I've had a choice of hate and love," Rahman
said. "I chose love, and I'm here."

Gallery

"Slumdog Millionaire" is the Academy Awards
champion, wrapping up its ghetto-to-glory story by winning best
picture and seven other Oscars, including the directing honor for
Danny Boyle.

'Slumdog' dominates Oscars with best picture win

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