Wartime tale 1917 scooped the prize for best drama film and best director for Sam Mendes at the 77th Golden Globe Awards on Sunday.

"Goodness me, that is a big surprise," the British director said of his shock win.

1917, which follows two young soldiers sent on an impossible mission, defeated other contenders The Irishman and Marriage Story — both considered favorites — as well as The Two Popes and Joker.

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Renee Zellweger's performance in Judy, in which she plays actress Judy Garland near the end of her life, scored her the prize for best actress in a film drama. Joaquin Phoenix won the best actor gong for his turn as a deeply disturbed stand-up comedian in Joker.

Noah Baumbach's divorce drama Marriage Story led all movies with six nominations, but in the end only won in the best supporting actress category for Laura Dern. Martin Scorsese's The Irishman had five nods, but ended the night empty handed. 

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Quentin Tarantino's Los Angeles fable Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood took the prize for best film in the comedy or musical category, as well as best screenplay and best supporting actor for Brad Pitt.

Best actor in a musical or comedy went to Taron Egerton for his portrayal of British pop singer Elton John in Rocketman, while Awkwafina won the best actress prize in the same category for her performance in Chinese-American family drama The Farewell. 

In the TV category, HBO hit Succession won best drama, while British series Fleabag won top comedy honors and the best comedy actress prize for Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Oscars predictor?

The Golden Globes, which are handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, come just a week before the announcement of the nominees for the Academy Awards (Oscars). The Globes are often seen as a predictor for the Oscars, which take place this year on February 9.

This year's Globes was hosted for the fifth time by British comedian Ricky Gervais, who opened the event with a cutting monologue in which he declared movies irrelevant, pretended to confuse actor Joe Pesci with Baby Yoda and hailed Netflix's domination in Hollywood. This year the streaming service had a formidable 34 nominations. 

Parasite named best foreign film

Parasite, a black comedy thriller from South Korean director Bong Joon Ho, won in the best foreign film category. It beat France's Les Miserables, Pedro Almodovar's Pain and Glory, Chinese-American family drama The Farewell and France's Portrait of a Lady on Fire.

"Once you overcome the inch-tall-barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films,'' Bong said through a translator.

Tom Hanks, also a nominee for his supporting turn as Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres was also given the Globes' newest award for lifetime achievement in television.

nm/cmk (AFP, AP)

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