Iranians on Monday cheered the choice of one of their own for the best foreign film Oscar, lauding director Asghar Farhadi's boycott of the Hollywood ceremony for his film "The Salesman" as an act of defiance against the Trump administration.

Farhadi refused to attend the Academy Awards, announcing after the temporary U.S. travel ban was initially imposed last month for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries that he would not attend the ceremony — even if an exception was made for him. Iran was one of the seven countries affected by the measure, which has since been blocked from being carried out by a federal court ruling.

It was shortly after 6:00 am in Turkey, and Khaled Khatib and his cousin Fadi had dozed off while staying up all night to watch the Oscars.

But then they got a phone call from Hollywood from their colleagues in the White Helmets, the Syrian rescue workers who were the subject of a documentary in competition at the Academy Awards.

Coming-of-age drama "Moonlight" won the best picture Oscar on Sunday, but not before the film industry's biggest night was marred by one of the worst fiascos in its history, as "La La Land" was mistakenly handed the award first.

DC Comics' "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and a documentary attacking Hillary Clinton tied Saturday at the annual Razzie worst-of film awards, Hollywood's hall of shame. 

The rivals won four "Razzies" each for their poor acting, writing and directing, although the anti-Clinton documentary walked away with the spray-painted trophy for "worst picture."  

Hollywood's elite gathers at the Dolby Theatre for the 89th annual Academy Awards on Sunday to reward the best in acting, writing and filmmaking talent. 

Almost every ceremony has thrown up surprise winners, sensational snubs and other memorable moments since the first of around 3,000 statuettes was given out in 1929.

Here are the nominees in key categories for the 89th Academy Awards, to be handed out on Sunday in Hollywood:

Best picture:

Hollywood will be sprinkled with stardust on Sunday at the Oscars, with dreamy nostalgic musical "La La Land" tipped for glory on the film industry's biggest night.

Damien Chazelle's glossy tribute to the all-singing, all-dancing Golden Age of Tinseltown's studio system is vying for 13 statuettes, and many of its 14 nominees are sure-fire winners -- if the oddsmakers are right.

Hundreds of Palestinians celebrated in Bethlehem after a young singer from the occupied West Bank city became the second Palestinian to win the Arab Idol television song contest.

Bottega Veneta looked to the 1940s for inspiration for its understated but luxurious autumn-winter 2017 collection showing Saturday in Milan, with fitted waists, accentuated shoulders and day-time tuxedos.

From a whimsical Hollywood musical to a lyrical, coming-of-age tale about a black man growing up in Miami and a blood-soaked war movie, the contenders for best picture at this year's Oscars offer an array of stories.