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Cotillard as Best Actress among surprises at Oscars

10:21 AM PST on Monday, February 25, 2008

By DAVID GERMAIN, AP Movie Writer

LOS ANGELES -- The Coen brothers completed their journey from the fringes to Hollywood's mainstream on Sunday, their crime saga "No Country for Old Men" winning four Academy Awards, including best picture, in a ceremony that also featured a strong international flavor.

Also: Corvallis High alum wins Oscar

Javier Bardem won for supporting actor in "No Country," which earned Joel and Ethan Coen best director, best adapted screenplay and the best-picture honor as producers.

Europeans sweep top acting prizes

Accepting the directing honor alongside his brother, Joel Coen recalled how they were making films since childhood, including one at the Minneapolis airport called "Henry Kissinger: Man on the Go."

"What we do now doesn't feel that much different from what we were doing then," Joel Coen said. "We're very thankful to all of you out there for continuing to let us play in our corner of the sandbox."

Daniel Day-Lewis won his second best-actor Academy Award on Sunday for "There Will Be Blood," while "No Country for Old Men" was living up to its front-runner status, winning adapted screenplay for the Coen brothers and supporting actor for Javier Bardem.

AP Photo

Marion Cotillard won the Oscar for Best Actress

"La Vie En Rose" star Marion Cotillard was a surprise winner in the best actress category, riding the spirit of Edith Piaf to Oscar triumph over Julie Christie, who had been expected to win for "Away From Her."

Photo Gallery: Oscars Red Carpet

While quirky American filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen were favored for the top prizes, the Oscars had a strong international flavor, with all four acting prizes went to Europeans: Frenchwoman Cotillard, Spaniard Bardem, and Brits Day-Lewis and Tilda Swinton, the supporting-actress winner for "Michael Clayton."

AP Photo

Daniel Day-Lewis won his second Best Actor Oscar.

As a raging, conniving, acquisitive petroleum pioneer caught up in California's oil boom of the early 20th century, Day-Lewis won for a part that could scarcely have been more different than his understated role as a writer with severe cerebral palsy in 1989's "My Left Foot."

"My deepest thanks to the academy for whacking me with the handsomest bludgeon in town," Day-Lewis said.

The Coen are mainly known for their original screenplays, making only two films based on adaptations, "No Country" from Pulitzer winner Cormac McCarthy's novel, and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," loosely inspired by the ancient Greek epic "The Odyssey."

"I think whatever success we've had in this area has been entirely attributable to how selective we are. We've only adapted Homer and Cormac McCarthy," said Joel Coen.

Previous original-screenplay winners for 1996's "Fargo," the Coens came in as the best-picture and directing favorites for "No Country."

"The Bourne Ultimatum" won the editing Oscar and swept all three categories in which it was nominated, including sound editing and sound mixing.

More:

Complete Oscars coverage

Oscars: Multimedia

Few fashion Faux Pas at Oscars

Oscars moments you didn't see on TV

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