The
79th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best
films of 2006 and took place February 25, 2007, at the
Kodak Theatre in
Hollywood,
Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m.
PST / 8:30 p.m.
EST. During the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by
ABC, was produced by
Laura Ziskin and directed by Louis J. Horvitz. Actress
Ellen DeGeneres hosted for the first time. Two weeks earlier in a ceremony at the
Beverly Wilshire Hotel in
Beverly Hills, California held on February 10, the
Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host
Maggie Gyllenhaal.