Critics Awards 2008: Austin

It may not have had much of a look-in at the east and west coast critics' awards but The Dark Knight, the year's biggest film at the global box office, might just be making a late run for Oscar contention. Yesterday, the Austin Film Critics Association gave Christopher Nolan's Batman sequel five gongs, including best film of 2008, best director and best supporting actor for the late Heath Ledger, reports Variety.

Sean Penn, already honoured by the New York and Los Angeles critics, took the best actor gong for his portrayal of pioneering gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk in Gus Van Sant's Milk. Best actress went to Anne Hathaway for her performance as a recovering drug addict in the drama Rachel Getting Married, while the supporting prize went to Taraji P Henson for her part in David Fincher's epic romance The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Meanwhile, Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire was the big winner at the San Diego Critics Society awards – the tale of a Mumbai tea-boy who finds himself one question away from winning the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire not only took best picture but also best director for Boyle, best adapted screenplay for Simon Beaufoy, cinematography for Christopher Dod Mantle, editing for Chris Dickens and score for AR Rahman.

Best actress went to Kate Winslet, who plays a former Nazi concentration camp guard whose past catches up with her in The Reader. The British actor has also been nominated for a best supporting actress Golden Globe for the role. Mickey Rourke took the San Diego critics' best actor prize for his comeback performance as a fading veteran of the ring trying to patch up a ruined relationship with his daughter in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler.

The Oscars ceremony takes place on 22 February at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, with Hugh Jackman as host.