The crime drama The Departed, Hollywood's adaption of a Hong Kong thriller, fought off the upstart Little Miss Sunshine on Sunday night to win the Oscar for best picture of the year, while its director Martin Scorsese ended a long losing streak and finally won an Academy Award.

The film led all winners during the 79th Academy Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, claiming four Oscars, including best adapted screenplay by William Monahan and best film editing.

As expected, Helen Mirren and Forest Whitaker completed their awards-season sweeps by being named best actress and actor, winning for their roles in The Queen and The Last King of Scotland respectively.

Alan Arkin was named best supporting actor for his role as a crusty grandfather in Little Miss Sunshine and Jennifer Hudson took home supporting actress honors for her turn as Miss Effie White in Dreamgirls.

Hudson completed her recovery from American Idol failure by winning the Oscar in her first-ever film role -- a role she earned by beating out about 800 other contenders for the part.

But the night ended as an Oscar coming-out party for Scorsese, who finally won the prize after his six nominations for best director and two nominations for best screenplay.

Scorsese's previous directing nominations were for Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, Gangs of New York, and Good Fellas.

The victory for The Departed derailed a late-season surge by the independent film Little Miss Sunshine, which was made on an US$8-million-budget but won top honors from the directors and actors guilds earlier.

In the documentary categories, The Blood of Yingzhou District won the Oscar for short subject, while former US vice-president Al Gore's global-warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth won for documentary feature.

Gore thanked the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and urged "people all over the world" to fight for the environment.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2007)