OSCAR hopefuls Cate Blanchett and Matt Damon were among the winners at Palm Springs International Film Festival, with Damon saying director Ridley Scott deserved an Academy Award.

    Damon, who starred in Scott’s film “The Martian,” said of Scott, “I hope that this is his year.”

    “Carol” star Blanchett thanked the festival for giving its honorees “a moment of glory” even if “we are not nominated for any other award.”

    The festival also honored Johnny Depp.

    Depp, who won the achievement award for actor for “Black Mass,” joked about making a lengthy acceptance speech, saying, “I hope you guys are planted well in your seats, this is going to take about 35 minutes. Maybe 37. We’ll just wing it shall we? Yeah, I’m going to take 45.”

    Damon, who was given the chairman’s award, added that he thought Scott already had an Oscar for best director - for “Gladiator,” which won five Academy Awards in 2001 - but he had lost out to “Traffic’s” Steven Soderbergh.

    “What he’s given to cinema, it’s not an accident,” Damon said of Scott.

    “He’s just a master director. There are a handful of them on planet earth, but he is one of them. “Gladiator” won best picture, but he wasn’t a producer on “Gladiator.” And so, the bottom line is, he’s given more than enough to cinema, so I hope that this is his year.”

    Michael Fassbender, who starred in “Steve Jobs” as the Apple co-founder, paid a light-hearted tribute to his co-star Kate Winslet.

    “Kate, you had my back from day one and yes, I did hold on to you longer than I should. Your wicked sense of humor and just maternal nature kept everyone’s spirits buoyant and that’s not to mention your acting ability. You’re a class act and I owe you big time,” he said.

    Eleven awards were given at the international festival’s gala evening, but the recipients were told beforehand if they had won, which Blanchett said was “a relief.”

    (SD-Agencies)