Oscars 2010: 'The Hurt Locker' scores over 'Avatar'

Iraq war movie The Hurt Locker took the Oscars by storm on Sunday, winning six of the major film honours, including best film and best director for Kathryn Bigelow, who became the first woman to win that honour.

The drama about a squad of bomb-defusing specialists and the emotional toll war takes on them also secured writer Mark Boal the Academy award for best original screenplay, and claimed honours for film editing, sound editing, and mixing.

The Hurt Locker and Bigelow won Oscars over stiff competition from her ex-husband James Cameron, whose sci-fi adventure Avatar is the top-grossing film of all time with $2.5 billion at box offices and was seen as a favourite for best film.

"This really is, there's no other way to describe it, it's the moment of a lifetime," Bigelow said at the 82nd annual Academy Awards function at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday.

Avatar earned just three Oscars, all in the technical categories — visual effects, cinematography, and art direction. Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg received the award for outstanding art direction while Mauro Fiore received the award for cinematography.

Sandra Bullock was named best actress for The Blind Side in a first for the actress once dubbed America's sweetheart, because she won so many early fans in her romantic comedies.

For The Blind Side she took the part of a real-life, strong-willed mother who helps take a homeless youth off the street and turns him into a football success.

"Did I really earn this, or did I just wear you all down?" she joked on the Oscar stage.

Jeff Bridges won the Oscar for best actor for Crazy Heart. The son of Hollywood star Lloyd Bridges held his trophy high over his head, looked to the heavens and, thanking his late parents, shouted, "Mom and Dad, yeah. Thank you Mom and Dad for turning me on to such a groovy profession."

Austrian actor Christoph Waltz and African American actress Mo'Nique took home Oscars for best supporting actor and actress, respectively.

Waltz won the first Oscar to be presented on the night for his diabolical turn as Nazi officer Hans Landa in the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds.

It was the first Oscar for the veteran stage and television actor. Waltz, 53, beat Hollywood veterans like Matt Damon for Invictus, Woody Harrelson for The Messenger, Christopher Plummer for The Last Station, and Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones.

Mo'Nique won the Oscar for her harrowing role as an abusive mother in Precious: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire, claiming her first ever Academy Award.

Mo'Nique was widely seen as the front-runner for the award. She was previously known mostly for her stand-up comedy and for roles on television.

Geoffrey Fletcher won the Best Screenwriter award for Precious: based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.

Disney Pixar's balloon adventure Up won in the category of best animated feature. That gives Pixar Animation Studios, which was bought by the Walt Disney Co in 2006, an industry-leading five Oscars for animation since that award was first handed out in 2002. Up director Pete Docter accepted the award on behalf of the studio and his animation team.

The film also won the best original score award for Micheal Giacchino.

Ryan Birgham and T Bone Burnett won the award for best original song for Crazy Heart.

Logorama was adjudged the best short film while The New Tenant won in the category of live action short. Kavi, a film by Gregg Helvey on an Indian boy and whose parents who work as bonded labourers was among the nominees for best live action short film.

Music by Prudence won the documentary short subject award

Star Trek won the Oscar for best makeup.

Sandy Powell won the award for best costume for The Young Victoria.

The Cove won the award for best documentary feature film. Matt Damon gave the award to Louie Psihoyos and Fisher Stevens.

Argentina's The Secret in Their Eyes won the Oscar for best foreign film. The film is about a retired prosecutor who is haunted by a 25-year-old rape and murder case and tries to find the culprit.