Rags-to-riches romance  ''Slumdog Millionaire'' scooped up eight Oscars, the most of any movie this year, including best motion picture

Among the ``Slumdog'' honours, Briton Danny Boyle was named best director for the often dark but ultimately hopeful tale about a poor Indian boy who competes for love and money on a TV game show, and writer Simon Beaufoy won adapted screenplay.

``You've been been so generous to us this evening, and I want to thank you for that,'' Boyle said to the Academy Award audience when accepting his Academy Award.

Boyle also thanked his family, the film's makers, and the entire city of Mumbai, where ``Slumdog'' was shot.

Kate Winslet was named best actress for her dramatic turn as a former Nazi prison guard who involves herself in a love affair with a teenage boy in ``The Reader.'' She fought back tears when accepting her trophy and remembered a time as an 8-year-old when she dreamed of winning one of the world's top film award.

Sean Penn earned his second Oscar for best actor, portraying slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk in ``Milk.''    

Early honours went to Penelope Cruz who became the first Spanish actress to win an Academy Award for her supporting role in ``Vicky Cristina Barcelona.'' Heath Ledger was posthumously named best supporting actor for his villainous role as The Joker in Batman movie ``The Dark Knight.''    

But ``Slumdog'' was the big winner, also earning Oscars for best cinematography, sound mixing, film editing, original score for composer A R Rahman and best song, ``Jai Ho'' for Rahman and lyricist Gulzar.

In the night's one big surprise, Japanese movie ''Departures'' beat the favorite, Israeli film ``Waltz With Bashir'' for foreign language film.

Full list of Academy Award winners

BEST PICTURE: "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight), a Celador Films Production, Christian Colson, producer

LEAD ACTOR: Sean Penn in "Milk" (Focus Features)

LEAD ACTRESS: Kate Winslet in "The Reader" (The Weinstein Company)

DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: "Departures" -- Japan (Regent Releasing) A Departures Film Partners production

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (The Weinstein Company)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Dustin Lance Black for "Milk" (Focus Features)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Simon Beaufoy for "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight)

ANIMATED FEATURE: Andrew Stanton for "WALL-E" (Walt Disney)

ANIMATED SHORT FILM: Kunio Kato for "La Maison en Petits Cubes" (A Robot Communications Production)

ART DIRECTION:  Donald Graham Burt for art direction and Victor J. Zolfo for set decoration on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros)

COSTUME DESIGN: Michael O'Connor for "The Duchess" (Paramount Vantage, Pathe and BBC Films)

MAKEUP: Greg Cannom for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros)

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Anthony Dod Mantle for "Slumdog Millionaire" (Fox Searchlight)

LIVE ACTION SHORT FIRM: Jochen Alexander Freydank for "Spielzeugland (Toyland)", a Mephisto Film production

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: James Marsh and Simon Chinn for "Man on Wire" (Magnolia
Pictures) A Wall to Wall production

DOCUMENTARY SHORT: Megan Mylan for "Smile Pinki", a Principle production

VISUAL EFFECTS: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount and Warner Bros)

SOUND EDITING: Richard King for "The Dark Knight" (Warner Bros)

SOUND MIXING: Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke