GOLDEN GLOBE WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Despite the awards ceremony being cancelled, the winners of the 2008 Golden Globe Awards were announced at a news conference on Sunday in Beverly Hills.

Described by CNN as “a fiasco”, the news conference consisted of simply reading out the winners’ names. No actors or filmmakers were present to collect any of the awards.

The two-month-long writers’ strike saw the Screen Actors Guild also refusing, in sympathy, to allow its members to attend the planned award show. Producers had no choice but to cancel the event.

The Golden Globes have traditionally been seen as a good predictor of which films will also score at the Academy Awards.

While plans are underway to go ahead with the Oscars, there remains the possibility that this too may be cancelled if the strike is not resolved or an agreement is not reached between the show’s producers and the Writers Guild of America.

Many of the films and television shows that received awards have not yet been released or broadcast in South Africa.

The winner of the best drama motion picture award was Atonement, the tragic love story which also scored for best original score.

Best drama actor and actress nods were awarded to Daniel Day-Lewis (for There Will Be Blood) and Julie Christie (Away From Her) respectively.

Tim Burton’s film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street won Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

Its star, Johnny Depp, walked off with best actor in that category as did Marion Cotillard for the Edith Piaf biopic La Vie En Rose.

Ratatouille was awarded Best Animated Feature Film.

Two television shows set to start in South Africa soon received awards: Damages for best actress in a television drama (Glenn Close) and Californication for best actor drama (David Duchovny).

Tina Fey won best actress in a comedy or musical TV series for her role in 30 Rock.