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There Will Be Blood wins National Society of Film Critics' Awards

Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood

Story by Jack Foley

DANIEL Day-Lewis oil epic There Will Be Blood took a big step towards Oscar glory by dominating the National Society of Film Critics’ Awards in America on Saturday (January 5, 2008).

The picture was named film of the year, while Day-Lewis took best actor for his role as a tough oil prospector and Paul Thomas Anderson was named best director.

Set in the early 20th Century, There Will Be Blood follows the dark tale of a businessman who becomes desperate to make money through oil and his relationship with an emering town and its religious leader.

It opens in UK cinemas on February 15 and has also been nominated for best drama at next week’s Golden Globes.

The film’s star, Day-Lewis, also received the Desert Palm achievement award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in California at a separate ceremony on the Saturday.

Further National Society of Film Critics’ Awards

Another hot Oscar prospect, Julie Christie, was named best actress for her portrayal of a woman struggling with Alzheimer’s disease in Sarah Polley’s Away From Her.

And Casey Affleck was recognised for his portrayal of Robert Ford in acclaimed western The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, while Cate Blanchett won for her portrayal of Bob Dylan in Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There. Both won for their supporting roles.

Tamara Jenkins won best screenplay for The Savages, starring Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Romanian Palme d’Or winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days took the prize for best foreign language film.

No End in Sight, a documentary about US foreign policy that pays close attention to the situation in Iraq, was named best non-fiction production.

The National Society of Film Critics includes 61 critics from leading US publications and websites. It is yet another American awards ceremony that is seen as a useful indicator of which films will be favourites for Oscar success.