Cate Blanchett dances onstage after winning award

Cate Blanchett danced for joy after winning an honor at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala for her role in critically acclaimed movie Carol.

The Australian actress has been tipped for Oscars glory following her performance as a 1950s housewife who falls in love with a younger woman, played by Rooney Mara.

After it was announced she had won the Desert Palm Achievement Award - Actress at the ceremony on Saturday (02Jan16), Cate threw her hands up and danced on stage with jubilation as she accepted the statuette from fellow actress Saoirse Ronan.

Other big winners at the gala, held at the California Convention Center, included Johnny Depp, who won an award for his role as gangster Whitey Bulger in Black Mass.

Accepting the Desert Palm Achievement Award - Actor from director Scott Cooper, he thanked wife Amber Heard for "living with all these characters," adding, "It's hard for me. It's got to be hard for her."

Steve Carell and Christian Bale were among the stars collecting the award for best ensemble cast for The Big Short, while Bryan Cranston was given the Spotlight Award by Dame Helen Mirren for his star turn in Trumbo.

Michael Fassbender was presented with the International Star Award - Actor by his Steve Jobs co-star Kate Winslet, and the actor thanked her, writer Aaron Sorkin, director Danny Boyle, and studio Universal, saying, "I believe you have a movie that will stand the test of time. Unfortunate about the box office figures, but, thank god for Jurassic World."

Matt Damon, who received the Chairman's Award for his role in The Martian, used his acceptance speech to push for the film's director, Ridley Scott, to win an Oscar.

He said, "What he's given to cinema, it's not an accident. He's just a master director. I was shocked to find out... but I thought that he already had an Academy Award because he directed a best picture. And so, the bottom line is, he's given more than enough to cinema, so I hope that this is his year."

The evening's other honorees included Ronan, who won the International Star Award - Actress for her role in Brooklyn, Rooney Mara, who received a Spotlight Award for Carol, Brie Larson, who was honored with the Breakthrough Performance Award for her star turn in Room, and Alicia Vikander, who received the Rising Star Award for The Danish Girl.