Top Honours and Front-runner in Oscar-quest

The Lord of the Rings wins Best Picture, Best Digital Effects, and Best Production Design at the American Film Institute Awards. Closer to home, Peter Jackson is named Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, alongside his partner, scriptwriter Fran Walsh. And Lord of the Rings storms the BAFTA (Brit Oscar) nominations with PJ leading the way and sharing a best film nomination with Andrew Adamson-helmed Shrek.