After a multi-lingual introduction, Will Smith announces the nominees for the best foreign language film, with critics' favourite Tsotsi taking it. A South African effort, the film follows the changing outlook of a thug (the meaning of the film's title) when he finds a baby in the back seat of a car he steals.

To announce the award for achievement in film editing, Stewart hands over to Memoirs of a Geisha actress Ziyi Zhang. A talkative Hughes Winborne takes the award for his work on Crash, the film's first award of the evening. Other nominees were Munich, Walk The Line, The Constant Gardener and Cinderella Man.

Next up is past winner Hilary Swank, announcing the nominees for best actor. The choices: Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain), Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line) and David Strathairn (Goodnight and Good Luck).

And the Oscar goes to...Philip Seymour Hoffman, earned by his excellent portrayal of author Truman Capote. As a college bet he promised that if he ever won an Oscar he would bark like a dog, but his friends have since let him off. He doesn't bark unfortunately, but he thanks people instead. His victory comes as no great surprise, having long been the favourite with a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award under his belt for the role.