Old standby Tavern on the Green proved a show-stopping venue for the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures’ annual awards ceremony on Tuesday. The restaurant’s crystal chandeliers and yards of outdoor lights put the glittering crowd in a sparkling mood. Few even blinked when celebrities such as Clint Eastwood, Randy Quaid, and Jeremy Irons arrived.

The board announced its film honors in early December but just held its ceremony. A few hundred attended, including members of the board, who are film historians, students, and educators.

Not all winners were present to joyfully march to the podium and collect their prizes, but those who were enjoyed their moment.

Mr. Eastwood accepted honors for his work on “Million Dollar Baby,” while the relatively new face Topher Grace won the award for Breakthrough Performance Actor.

Annette Bening, looking sharp with a spiky haircut, grinned widely as she accepted the board’s honors for best actress in “Being Julia.” (Jamie Foxx won for best actor in “Ray.”)

Some guests sniffed when the film “Sideways” was named one of the 10 best films of the year. The story of two friends seeking pleasure in the Napa Valley won two other honors: best supporting actor for Thomas Haden Church and best adapted screenplay for director Alexander Payne and his co-writer, Jim Taylor.

Brad Bird accepted the best animated feature award for “The Incredibles.” “The Sea Inside,” the true story of a Spaniard who fought a 30-year campaign in favor of euthanasia, won for best foreign-language film. Accepting the award were its star, Javier Bardem, and director, Alejandro Amenabar. Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman won best documentary for “Born Into Brothels,” which explored the lives of children growing up in Calcutta’s red-light district.

No film industry event would be complete without special awards.

The Billy Wilder Award for Excellence in Direction went to Milos Forman, who films include “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Amadeus,” and “Hair.” Jan A. P. Kaczmarek received the Outstanding Film Music Composition Award for his work on “Finding Neverland,” which was named best film.

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Argentine director Daniel Burman was in the spotlight Tuesday night for the New York premiere of his film “Lost Embrace,” about a teenage slacker who works in a Buenos Aires shopping mall. After the screening, which opened the New York Jewish Film Festival, Mr. Burman spoke through a translator of his inspiration for the film.

Growing up, he used to peer in to malls while walking past their windows and wonder how anyone could stand doing the same thing for 20 years. “But as I grew older, I understood that every day is important. These people are heroes because they have to reinvent themselves every day,” Mr. Burman said.

Six other filmmakers joined Mr. Burman at a reception after the screening, including Gina Angelone, whose film tells the story of twins who survived the Holocaust; Danae Elon, who made a documentary of her search for the Palestinian man who helped take care of her as a child; Hanan Harchol, whose short films capture the life of a madcap nuclear physicist; Elliott Malkin, whose short films incorporate footage of his childhood; and Daniel Blaufuks, who has made a film about intellectuals and artists who, during World War II, found a safe haven in Lisbon, Portugal.

“This is really a one-time opportunity to see many of these films, which may not get a distributor,” said psychologist and author Eva Fogelman.

The film festival’s coordinator, Livia Bloom, watched hundreds before selecting the 29 featured productions. The festival is in its 14th year and is a joint venture of the Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Donors supporting the festival include Martin Payson and Mimi and Barry Alperin.