Nominees in the Directing category for the 76th Academy Awards attended the Nominees Luncheon. Pictured clockwise from left: Clint Eastwood, Peter Jackson, Fernando Meirelles, Peter Weir and Sofia Coppola.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored this year's Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon on February 9, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Thirteen of the 20 nominees in the acting categories were among some 109 nominees from 24 categories who gathered at noon for the traditional pre-Academy Awards^® fete.

From the Leading Actor and Actress categories Ben Kingsley, Sean Penn, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Diane Keaton, Charlize Theron and Naomi Watts attended. Shohreh Aghdashloo, Patricia Clarkson, Marcia Gay Harden, Alec Baldwin, Benicio Del Toro, Djimon Hounsou and Tim Robbins represented the Supporting Acting categories.

All five nominees from the Directing category-- Sofia Coppola, Clint Eastwood, Peter Jackson, Fernando Meirelles and Peter Weir attended, as well as Honorary Oscar recipient Blake Edwards was in attendance.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2003 were presented on February 29, 2004, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland^®.

110 Oscar® nominees gathered at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, for the 23rd Annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Nominees Luncheon.