Oscar speculation begins in earnest

Like Christmas shopping, the run-in for the Oscars starts a little earlier every year and the first prizes of 2002 were handed out at the weekend. The Lord of the Rings and Mulholland Drive were the beneficiaries of awards ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York, with British representation coming from Helen Mirren, cinematographer Roger Deakins and writer-director Christopher Nolan.

For the first time, the American Film Institute has entered the awards game, although its ceremony in Los Angeles was a low-key affair compared with the big bashes that accompany the Oscars and the Golden Globes.

The institute, which consists of film experts and scholars, has only recently decided to raise its profile in this way but its choices give some clues as to how the industry may be thinking. In New York the National Society of Film Critics handed out its prizes, too.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was named best picture by the AFI. Sissy Spacek was named actress of the year for her role in the drama In the Bedroom and Denzel Washington best actor for his performance as a corrupt policeman in Training Day. Robert Altman was named best director for Gosford Park, the period film with a large cast of British actors.

Robert Shaye, executive producer of The Fellowship of the Ring, said after the LA ceremony that he was cautious as to whether the award was a pointer for the Oscars. "I am a little superstitious," he said. "If you look at something too hard it just slips away."

Gene Hackman was named best featured actor for his part in The Royal Tenenbaums and Jennifer Connelly best featured actress for her part in A Beautiful Mind. Christopher Nolan won the screenwriter of the year for Memento, his film about a man who has lost his memory and Roger Deakins won the best cinematographer for his work on the Coen brothers' The Man Who Wasn't There.

In New York, the country's critics chose David Lynch's Mulholland Drive as best picture ahead of Gosford Park and The Fellowship of the Ring. In contrast to the AFI awards, this was the 36th such ceremony and was held at Sardi's in Manhattan. Robert Altman won the best director for Gosford Park and the film's writer, Julian Fellowes, won the best screenplay prize. Helen Mirren took the best supporting actress award for her part in the same film.

Naomi Watts won best actress for Mulholland Drive and Gene Hackman best actor for The Royal Tenenbaums. Steve Buscemi took best supporting actor for his part in Ghost World. The awards ceremony was dedicated to the former New Yorker magazine movie critic Pauline Kael, who died last September.