The Oscar contenders Milk and 'Slumdog Millionaire' won top honours yesterday at the Writers Guild of America Awards.

'Slumdog Millionaire' continued its rags-to-riches march through Hollywood's awards season as its filmmaker Danny Boyle won the top honour from the Directors Guild of America.

Hollywood writers have had first look at details of a tentative agreement with studios that could put the strike-crippled entertainment industry back to work, as the union’s East Coast president said he backed the offer.

Acclaimed Coen brothers movie 'No Country For Old Men' picked up another top film prize in Hollywood on Saturday when it claimed gold at the Producers Guild of America gala.

The Writers Guild of America has defended its decision to allow striking writers the go-ahead to work on the Grammy Awards show next month.

Joel and Ethan Coen have been hotly tipped to win the Best Director Oscar at next months' Academy Awards - after their movie 'No Country For Old Men' scooped the same prize from the Directors Guild of America on Saturday.

Joel and Ethan Coen won the top prize from the Directors Guild of America for 'No Country for Old Men', giving them the inside track for the same honour at the Academy Awards - assuming the Oscars go on amid the writers strike.

The Hollywood writers guild said it would begin informal talks with studios today after agreeing to drop proposals to unionise reality and animation shows that had contributed to a negotiations deadlock.

Striking Hollywood writers could begin informal talks with studio chiefs next week in an effort to end a two-month walkout that has hit the US entertainment industry, according to reports.

Hollywood directors have reached a tentative contract deal with studios after five days of negotiations, the directors’ union said today.

Striking Hollywood writers have decided not to picket tomorrow’s Golden Globe Awards after organisers changed it from an exclusive TV broadcast to an event open to all media.

Hollywood writers will go on strike today after last-ditch talks called by a US government mediator failed.

Gay cowboys, country singers, literary lions, a bullheaded CIA agent and a transsexual on a road trip are among the likely cast of characters for Academy Awards nominations today.

DRAMA Crash pulled off an upset win over previous Oscar-favourite Brokeback Mountain at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Michael Moore's controversial movie Fahrenheit 9/11 has been nominated for the Directors Guild of America's (DGA) documentary film-maker award.

The enormously successful Lord Of the Rings – The Return Of the King has now made $600m (€469m) worldwide, making it the second biggest box office hit ever – after Titanic.