"The Descendants" been named the year's best picture by the International Press Academy, a group of entertainment journalists formed by a former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association 15 years ago.
While Alexander Payne's drama has figured strongly in the awards race, the group's Satellite Awards also showed off some offbeat choices in a number of categories. Nicolas Winding Refn was named Best Director for "Drive," and Ryan Gosling was named best actor for that film over the likes of George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.
In fact, "Drive" took home the most awards, four, with additional honors going to supporting actor Albert Brooks and the film's sound editors and mixers.
Viola Davis was named the year's best actress for "The Help," while Jessica Chastain won in the supporting category for "The Tree of Life."
The consensus leader in the Oscar race, "The Artist," won a single award, for art and production design.
The Satellite Awards took place Sunday night at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Its nominations had been a wildly inclusive bunch, with 10 nominees in eight different categories, including picture, director, documentary, foreign film and acting, and six nominees in the other categories.
The winners:
MOTION PICTURES
Motion Picture: "The Descendants"
Actress in a Motion Picture: Viola Davis, "The Help"
Actor in a Motion Picture: Ryan Gosling, "Drive"
Actress in a Supporting Role: Jessica Chastain, "The Tree of Life"
Actor in a Supporting Role: Albert Brooks, "Drive"
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn, "Drive"
Screenplay, Original: "The Tree of Life," Terrence Malick
Screenplay, Adapted: "The Descendants," Alexander Payne, Jim Rash, Nax Faxon
Foreign Film: "Mysteries of Lisbon"
Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media: "The Adventures of Tintin"
Motion Picture, Documentary: "Senna"
Original Score: "Soul Surfer," Marco Beltrani
Original Song: "Lay Down Your Head" from "Albert Nobbs," Brian Byrne and Glenn Close
Cinematography: "War Horse," Janusz Kaminski
Visual Effects: "Hugo," Robert Legato
Film Editing: "The Guard," Chris Gill
Sound (Editing and Mixing): "Drive," Dave Patterson, Lon Bender, Robert Fernandez, Victor Ray Ennis
Art Direction & Production Design: "The Artist," Gregory S. Hooper, Laurence Bennett
Costume Design: "Water for Elephants," Jacqueline West
TELEVISION
Television Series, Drama: "Justified"
Television Series, Comedy or Musical: "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"
Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: "Mildred Pierce"
Television Series, Genre: "American Horror Story"
Actress in a Series, Drama: Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Actor in a Series, Drama: Timothy Olyphant, "Justified"
Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical: Martha Plimpton, "Raising Hope"
Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical: Louis C.K., "Louie"
Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: Kate Winslet, "Mildred Pierce"
Actor in a Miniseries of a Motion Picture Made for Television: Jason Isaacs, "Case Histories"
Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: Vanessa Williams, "Desperate Housewives"
Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: (tie) Ryan Hurst, "Sons of Anarchy," and Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
NEW MEDIA
Best Extra Features: "Star Wars: The Complete Saga"
Youth Release: "The Lion King: Two-Disc Diamond Edition"
Classic Release: "West Side Story: 50th Anniversary Edition"
Television Release: "Community: The Complete Second Season"
Best Overall Blu-Ray Disc: "Three Colors: Blue, White, Red"
Outstanding Sports/Racing Game: "Forza Motorsports 4"
Outstanding Action/Adventure Game: "Batman: Arkham City"
Outstanding Mobile Game: "Infinity Blade II"
Outstanding Role-Playing Game: "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim"
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Best First Feature: Paddy Considine, "Tyrannosaur"
Best Ensemble: "The Help"
Outstanding Performance in a TV Series: Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Industry: Mitzi Gaynor
Nikola Tesla Award in Recognition of Visionary Achivement in Filmmaking Technology: Douglas Trumbull
Auteur Award: Peter Bogdanovich
Humanitarian Award: Tim Hetherington (1970-2011)
