“Avatar” picked up another award Tuesday night, but Oscar prognosticators probably shouldn’t read anything into it — “The Hurt Locker,” “Up in the Air” and “Inglourious Basterds” weren’t eligible.

James Cameron’s blockbuster was named best live-action 3-D feature by the month-old International 3D Society, kicking off its inaugural Lumiere Awards at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

“Up,” also in the running for Academy Award best picture honors, was honored as best animated 3-D feature, and another Pixar work, “Partly Cloudy,” won in the category for best short 3-D motion picture/narrative.

The International 3D Society was formed Jan. 21 with a stated mission of advancing “the achievement of professionals working in the arts and technologies of Stereoscopic 3D.” Its board of governors includes a diverse group — studio executives, the heads of 3-D and post-production houses and even a PhD at UC Berkeley’s school of optometry. The awards were voted on by more than 100 film industry 3-D experts, a spokesman for the group said.

Among other winners Tuesday were the Imax film “Under the Sea 3D” as best 3-D documentary, “G-Force” as best 2-D-to-3-D converted feature, and “Avatar’s” Neytiri (played by Zoe Saldana) as best 3-D character of the year.

From the Los Angeles Times

“Avatar” leads the competition at the upcoming Saturn Awards, with 10 nominations including bids for best fantasy picture, leads Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana and supporting players Stephen Lang and Sigourney Weaver.

“Sherlock Holmes” has eight nominations while “Watchmen” and “Inglorious Basterds” earned seven apiece. “District 9″ and “Star Trek” both contend in six races, though Oscar nominee “District 9″ did not earn a best picture bid from these kudos.

This 36th annual edition of the awards honors films across four genres — sci-fi, fantasy, horror and action/adventure/thriller. Though there are four best film awards, the other categories cull nominees from all four genres.

The best director race includes “Avatar” helmer James Cameron — who has won this award four times — and two of his Oscar rivals Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”) and Quentin Tarantino (“Inglorious Basterds”), with both their films contending in the catch-all action/adventure/thriller category. The other nominees: J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek”), Neil Blomkamp (“District 9″), Guy Ritchie (“Sherlock Holmes”) and Zack Snyder (“Watchmen”).

Members of the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror decide on both nominees and the winners, which will be announced June 24, 2010.

From the Los Angeles Times

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 ON ABC Oprah Winfrey brings together some of Hollywood’s biggest and brightest Academy Award® winners and nominees to interview each other, on “The Oprah Winfrey Oscar® Special,” airing WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The revealing and intimate interviews include 2002 Academy Award-winner Halle Berry (Actress in a Leading Role, “Monster’s Ball”) and last year’s Supporting Actress winner, Penélope Cruz (“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”), who this year is a Supporting Actress nominee for her role in “Nine.”

Academy Award-winning director James Cameron (“Titanic”), director of “Avatar,” sits down with three of the stars from the film, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and three-time Oscar-nominated Sigourney Weaver. “Avatar” is the recipient of nine Oscar nominations this year, including Best Picture.

Ben Affleck, who won an Oscar in 1998 for original screenplay, along with Matt Damon, for “Good Will Hunting,” chats with Jeremy Renner, who garnered a nomination for Actor in a Leading Role for “The Hurt Locker.” The film is tied with “Avatar” for the most nominations this year, at nine.

Two of the stars reunite from “Fatal Attraction,” the 1987 classic film and recipient of six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture — five-time Oscar-nominated actress Glenn Close and multiple Oscar recipient Michael Douglas. Close received an Actress in a Leading Role nomination for her part in the film.

Zoe Saldana, George Clooney, Sandra Bullock, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson and other actors discuss their selections for best performances.

The Dominican actress Zoe Saldaña visited the Dominican Red Cross to deliver aid for Haiti, provided by the cosmetics company Avon.

Saldaña, shoe film career includes Avatar and Star Trek also took time to talk to fans and the public, and asked them to continue the donations and stimulate others to help.

“I cannot remain with my arms crossed in the face of such a great tragedy for our brothers on the Island,” she said.

From Dominican Today