Science-fiction adventure “Avatar” and war movie “The Hurt Locker” on Tuesday earned nine Oscar nominations each, including best movie, to lead the field in the competition for the world’s highest film honours.

Other films among the 10 nominees for best motion picture include “Up in the Air,” “The Blind Side,” “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” and “District 9.”

Rounding out the list of best film nominees were animated movie “Up,” “A Serious Man,” “Inglourious Basterds” and “An Education.”

Nominations for best actor in a film went to Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart,” George Clooney for “Up in the Air,” Colin Firth in “A Single Man,” Morgan Freeman for “Invictus” and Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker.”

Best actress nominees were Sandra Bullock for “The Blind Side,” Helen Mirren in “The Last Station,” Carey Mulligan for “An Education,” Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious” and Meryl Streep for “Julie & Julia”.

Following is a list of the main Oscar contenders. The awards will be handed out in Hollywood on March 7.

BEST PICTURE

“Avatar”, “The Blind Side”, “District 9″, “An Education”, “The Hurt Locker”, “Inglourious Basterds”, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”, “A Serious Man” “Up” “Up in the Air”

BEST ACTOR

Jeff Bridges – “Crazy Heart”

George Clooney – “Up in the Air”

Colin Firth – “A Single Man”

Morgan Freeman – “Invictus”

Jeremy Renner – “The Hurt Locker”

BEST ACTRESS

Sandra Bullock – “The Blind Side”

Helen Mirren – “The Last Station”

Carey Mulligan – “An Education”

Gabourey Sidibe – “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Meryl Streep – “Julie & Julia”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Matt Damon – “Invictus”

Woody Harrelson – “The Messenger”

Christopher Plummer – “The Last Station”

Stanley Tucci – “The Lovely Bones”

Christoph Waltz – “Inglourious Basterds”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Penelope Cruz – “Nine”

Vera Farmiga – “Up in the Air”

Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”

Anna Kendrick – “Up in the Air”

Mo’Nique – “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

BEST DIRECTOR

James Cameron – “Avatar”

Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker”

Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds”

Lee Daniels – “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Jason Reitman – “Up in the Air”