The National Society of Film Critics named Sean Penn, from “Milk,” best actor, and Sally Hawkins, from “Happy-Go-Lucky,” best actress. These honors given on Saturday put the two actors as top runners for the Academy Awards from February.

Penn made an incredible performance as the San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, a leader for the gay rights who had been killed together with a fellow politician in 1978.

Best director and best screenplay honors also went to “Happy-Go-Lucky’s” Mike Leigh. The movie depicts the story of an optimistic schoolteacher in North London and Eddie Marsan got the honor for best supporting actor too.

The surprise for Saturday night’s honors was the critics’ choice of “Waltz With Bashir” as the best movie of the year. "Slumdog Millionaire," "Milk" and "Wall-E" were chosen for the same position by other film associations.

Ari Folman, the Israeli director, described in “Waltz With Bashir” his years as a soldier during the war with Lebanon from 1982. The association said that this movie represented an animated documentary and the New York Times called it "an altogether amazing film."

Hanna Schygulla received the honor for best supporting actress for her interpretation in "The Edge of Heaven." Best documentary went to Man on Wire," which tells the story of a man who walked across a tightrope between the twin towers of the World Trade Center in 1974.

These critics’ honors helped the Academy Awards, or the Oscars, from next month to do their best choice. The Oscars are the most important film awards which are given out on the last Sunday from February by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.