"Green Book" takes top prize at 30th annual Producers Guild Awards

Peter Farrelly accepts the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Theatrical Motion Pictures for "Green Book" at the 30th Producers Guild Awards presented by Cadillac at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. [Photo: John Salangsang/Invision for Producers Guild of America/AP Images]

The comedy drama "Green Book" won the Darryl F. Zanuck Award as the top feature film of 2018 at the 30th annual Producers Guild of America (PGA) Awards held at the Beverly Hilton hotel here on Saturday night.

"Green Book" beat out fierce rivals including "BlacKkKlansman," "Black Panther," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "Crazy Rich Asians," "The Favourite," "A Quiet Place," "Roma," "A Star Is Born" and "Vice."

Considered as a strong prognosticator for the Oscar for Best Picture, the announcement of the PGA top film prize for motion picture is usually one of the most eagerly-anticipated of the Hollywood awards season.

The PGA Awards has matched the Oscar in the category in 20 of its 29 years. Last year, the PGA Best Motion Picture winner "The Shape of Water" also became the winner of the Oscar for Best Picture.

"Green Book" won three awards, including Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy category, earlier this month at the 76th Golden Globe Awards.

Directed by Peter Farrelly and set in the Deep South in the 1960s, the film follows African-American classical and jazz pianist Don Shirley and Tony Vallelonga, an Italian-American bouncer who served as Shirley's driver and bodyguard, on tour.

Sony's "Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse" won the PGA animated film award, following its victory at the 76th Golden Globe Awards and the 24th Critics' Choice Awards. The last three PGA animated film award winners have also won the Oscar in the animated category. "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" snagged the documentary award.

On the TV side, FX's "The Americans" won the drama series award following up its win at the 76th Golden Globe Awards. "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" won top prize for comedy. "The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" won the award for limited series and "Fahrenheit 451" won the award for top streamed or televised motion picture. "RuPaul's Drag Race" is the winner for game and competition television. "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" won the award for non-fiction television. "Sesame Street" is the winner in the category of children's program.

The PGA Awards were established in 1990 to honor the visionaries who produce and execute motion picture and television products. The PGA's membership includes over 7,000 members of the producing establishment worldwide.