Critics Awards 2008: Los Angeles (Screen Daily)

In a bold move that defies traditional thinking, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) named Wall-E its best picture of the year while The Dark Knight was runner-up.

Danny Boyle took the best director prize for Slumdog Millionaire, with The Dark Knight again taking the silver medal for Christopher Nolan.

In the acting prizes, Sean Penn won for Milk and Sally Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky, which also earned Mike Leigh the screenplay prize.

The late Heath Ledger took the supporting actor award for his portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight while Penelope Cruz was named best supporting actress for her work in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Elegy.

Jia Zhangke's China-Hong Kong romance Still Life, which won the Golden Lion at Venice in 2006 but was only released in LA this year, was named best foreign language film ahead of Laurent Cantet's 2008 Cannes Palme d'Or winner The Class. James Marsh's Man On Wire bolstered its Oscar credentials by winning the documentary category and Waltz With Bashir won the animated award over Wall-E.

LAFCA's 34th annual achievement awards ceremony will take place on January 12 at the InterContinental Los Angeles. The 34th annual Los Angeles Film Critics Association awards are dedicated to Manoel de Oliveira for his extraordinary contribution to the cinema as he enters his 101st year.

FULL LIST OF AWARDS:

PICTURE: Wall-E
Runner-up: The Dark Knight

DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire Runner-up: Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight

ACTRESS: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Runner-up: Melissa Leo, Frozen River

ACTOR: Sean Penn, Milk
Runner-up: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

SCREENPLAY: Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Runner-up: Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Elegy
Runner-up: Viola Davis, Doubt

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Runner-up: Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Still Life by Jia Zhangke
Runner-up: The Class by Laurent Cantet

DOCUMENTARY/NON-FICTION FILM: Man On Wire by James Marsh
Runner-up: Waltz With Bashir by Ari Folman

PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mark Friedberg, Synecdoche, New York
Runner-up: Nathan Crowley, The Dark Knight

ANIMATION: Waltz With Bashir

MUSIC/SCORE: A R Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Yu Lik Wai, Still Life
Runner-up: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire

NEW GENERATION: Steve McQueen, Hunger

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: John Calley (previously announced)