Gay cowboy love story "Brokeback Mountain"

Ang Lee's gay cowboy romance "Brokeback Mountain," topped the Golden Globe nominations on Tuesday with nominations in seven categories, including best film drama.

Based on a short story by The Shipping News author E Annie Proulx, Director Ang Lee' Brokeback Mountain tells the story of the forbidden love that develops between two male cowboys (Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal) who meet on a Wyoming ranch in 1963.

"There has never been a homosexual cowboy movie," producer James Schamus said.

"We are using the codes and conventions of romance that have always applied to straight people very unapologetically. We don't care if anyone is upset about it."

The film picked up nominations for director Lee and star Heath Ledger.

The film was also shortlisted for score, screenplay and best supporting actress for Michelle Williams.

"It's been a great experience for us,'' Lee was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying when he picked up the prize. "It's unique and so universal, and I'm so glad it's prevailed here and been received so warmly here.''

The film, set in Wyoming and Texas, is described as a raw, powerful story of two young men, a Wyoming ranch hand and a Texas rodeo cowboy, who meet in the summer of 1963 sheepherding in the harsh and form an unorthodox bond. It stars actors Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Joining "Brokeback" on the list for best film drama were "Good Night, and Good Luck," a stylish black-and-white movie directed by George Clooney, Woody Allen's story about British class warfare "Match Point," and two low-budget thrillers, "A History of Violence" and "The Constant Gardener."

The nominations are being hailed a triumph for smaller-budgeted films over big studio productions reports BBC news. The Golden Globes gala, to be televised live by NBC on Jan. 16, takes place less than a week before polls close for Oscar voters. Nominations for the Academy Awards are then released Jan. 31, with the presentation ceremony following on March 5.

In other "Brokeback Mountain" news, the movie won three of the top four awards from the New York Film Critics Circle on Monday, building momentum as the critics' favorite for Hollywood's top honors, the Oscars. The New York Film Critics Circle gave the film its awards for best film, best director and best actor, for Heath Ledger.

"Brokeback Mountain" already won best film from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association on Saturday, and it earned eight nominations for the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday.

Earlier the National Board of Review, a New York group of 150 film professionals, academics and students, announced its annual awards, naming George Clooney's McCarthy-era drama "Good Night, and Good Luck" as best film of 2005 reports Reuters

In September, "Brokeback Mountain won the top prize, or Golden Lion, at the Venice Film Festival.

"It's been a great experience for us,'' Lee was quoted by Agence France-Presse as saying when he picked up the prize. "It's unique and so universal, and I'm so glad it's prevailed here and been received so warmly here.''