Germany
Turkish film wins top honor in Berlin
BERLIN - A Turkish film that tells the story of a 6-year-old boy who stops speaking when his father disappears, "Bal," or "Honey," has won the top honor at this year's Berlin film festival.
Roman Polanski won the award for best director Saturday for "The Ghost Writer." The film's producers accepted the award on behalf of Polanski, who is under house arrest in Switzerland.
Polanski is confined to his chalet in Gstaad, awaiting a Swiss decision on whether to extradite him to the U.S. to face possible further sentencing in a 32-year-old sex case.
Britain
'Locker,' 'Avatar' vie for top honor
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LONDON - Gritty Iraq thriller "The Hurt Locker" and blockbuster eco-extravaganza "Avatar" are squaring off at the British Academy Film Awards - a possible preview of their showdown at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles next month.
Each film has eight nominations for today's prizes, including best picture and best director for "Avatar's" James Cameron and "Hurt Locker's" Kathryn Bigelow, former spouses turned awards-season rivals.
The two directors, who were married from 1989 to 1991, are also going head to head at the March 7 Oscars, where their films have nine nominations apiece.
The British awards, known as BAFTAs, are considered an important indicator of likely Oscar success. Last year, Danny Boyle's underdog picture "Slumdog Millionaire" won seven BAFTAs, including best film; it went on to win eight Oscars.
Canada
Hilary Duff to marry NHL's Mike Comrie
EDMONTON, Alberta - Here's something for "Gossip Girl" to talk about.
Actress and singer Hilary Duff, who had a recurring guest role on the popular CW series last season, is engaged to Edmonton Oilers forward Mike Comrie.
Publicist Nanci Ryder says the two were engaged last weekend while vacationing in Hawaii. She says in an e-mail distributed by the Oilers on Friday that the two "are very excited to share this happy news."
The proposal comes during the NHL's two-week break for the Olympics.
The 22-year-old Duff and Comrie, 29, had been dating for over two years.
The Associated Press
