BEVERLY HILLS:

The first Golden Globe of the night went to Cate Blanchett for her supporting role in I’m Not There — and that pretty much said it all about the awards ceremony that was wiped out by the Hollywood writers strike.

Neither was anyone present to accept the best drama award for Atonement, the final award at the news conference-style fiasco that raced through 25 winners so fast, it was as if the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) just wanted to get it over with.

No red carpet, no tipsy stars, and no big winners. Atonement led the field with seven nominations but won only twice, tying with three other films for the most honours.

But atonement was also on the minds of awards presenters who hope feuding producers and writers might mend fences so Hollywood can get back to business. HFPA president Jorge Camara made a bold promise, “Rest assured that next year, the Golden Globe awards will be back bigger and better than ever”.

“I wish circumstance would allow me to be there,” said Blanchett, in a statement after what’s sure to go down as one of the strangest awards shows in the annals of Hollywood. “It is a great honour to have been recognised with this award at a time when there are so many outstanding performances in this category,” Javier Bardem said in a statement. Instead of the usual three hours of star-studded backslapping that drags on forever, this one flew by in half an hour, with no winners on hand and prizes announced by TV entertainment show hosts.

The award goes to..

• Best Motion Picture — Drama: Atonement

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama: Julie Christie, Away From Her

• Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: Sweeney Todd

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose

• Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy: Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd

• Best Director — Motion Picture: Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

• Best animated film: Ratatouille

• Best Foreign Language Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (France/USA)

• Best supporting actress: Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There

• Best supporting actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

• Best Screenplay — Motion Picture: Ethan Coen/Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men — AFP