THE HURT LOCKER, UP and THE COVE Win PGA Awards

In a shocking surprise to this humdrum awards season, THE HURT LOCKER  was  voted by the producers as Best  Feature  over the behemoth and assumed winner  AVATAR.  Such a  thrilling, huge victory for Kathryn Bigelow and her team, to say the least. This, along with  Saturday’s  INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS  SAG win, now blows  the Oscar race wide open.  In the last 20 years, the winner of the PGA Award has gone on to win Best Picture 13 times. Thank the maker, we have a real Best Picture race at last.

Greg Kinnear kicked off the 21st Annual Producer Guild of America Awards on Sunday night  at the Hollywood Palladium.  For the first time,  the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures had a playing field of 10 picture nominees this year.    Other categories were the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures, the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures, and various television awards as well.

Winner of the Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures –  THE HURT LOCKER,  Producers: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicholas Chartier and Greg Shapiro

Winner of the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures –  UP, Producer: Jonas Rivera

The winner of the PGA Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures –  The COVE, Producers: Paula DuPre Pesmen, Fisher Stevens

In a TOY STORY reunion of sorts, Tim Allen and Tom Hanks presented the PGA Selznick Award to John Lasseter. Dr. Horrible and Neil Patrick Harris presented the Vanguard Award to Joss Whedon. Mo’Nique presented The Stanley Kramer Award to PRECIOUS producers Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel Magness and Gary Magness. Will Smith presented The PGA Milestone Award to Sony’s Amy Pascal and Michael Lynton.

Source: Producers Guild of America