Oscars
The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world.
It is also the oldest award ceremony in the media, and many other award ceremonies such as the Grammy Awards (for music), Golden Globe Awards (all forms of visual media), and Emmy Awards (for television) are often modeled from the Academy.
The 82nd Academy Awards, honouring the best of 2009, will be held on March 7th at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, with actors Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin hosting the event. Blockbuster sci-fi epic Avatar, named best film drama at the Golden Globe awards in January, is the favourite for Best Picture while its director James Cameron, also honoured at the Globes, heads the Best Director market.