Slumdog Millionaire cleaned up at the Academy Awards, winning eight of the ten awards for which it was nominated. Milk's star and writer were also lauded, while The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which had the most nods going into the night, twelve in total, but was only recognized for its visual and technical achievements.

And the winners are...

• Best Motion Picture of the Year: Slumdog Millionaire
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Sean Penn, Milk
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Kate Winslet, The Reader
• Best Achievement in Directing: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Milk, Dustin Lance Black
• Best Foreign Language Film: Okuribito (Departures)
• Best Achievement in Music, Original Song: Slumdog Millionaire, “Jai Ho”
• Best Achievement in Music, Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
• Best Achievement in Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
• Best Achievement in Sound: Slumdog Millionaire
• Best Achievement in Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
• Best Achievement in Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
• Best Documentary Short: Smile Pinki
• Best Short Film, Live Action: Spielzeugland (Toyland)
• Best Short Film, Animated: La Maison en Petits Cubes (The House of Little Boxes)
• Best Achievement in Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
• Best Achievement in Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Best Achievement in Costume Design: The Duchess
• Best Achievement in Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

—Sasha Perl-Raver