The low-budget Iraq War drama “The Hurt Locker” was named best picture at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Sunday, a key boost to the underdog movie’s Oscar campaign.
The winner of the trade group’s top award has gone on to take the best picture Oscar in 13 of the past 20 years, including the two most recent events. On the other hand, the 4,200-member group suffered a three-year dry spell immediately before its most recent winning streak.
“The Hurt Locker” has already won the best picture prize at the Critics Choice Awards, which has had an 80 percent success rate in the last 10 years.
After Oscar organizers decided late last year to double the field of best picture nominees to 10, the Producers Guild followed suit. Its other nominees were recent Golden Globe best drama winner “Avatar,” “District 9,” “Star Trek,” “Up,” “Up in the Air,” “Invictus,” “An Education,” “Precious,” and “Inglourious Basterds.”
The Oscar nominations will be announced on Feb. 2 and the awards handed out on March 7.