SAG Awards: The Help takes home 12 Awards and Heats up Oscar Race [Slideshow]

Civil rights drama The Help has rejuvenated the race for the Oscars by taking home 12 Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The award season has been dominated by silent film The Artist, which looked likely to sweep the board at [February's] Academy Awards.

But the success of literary adaptation The Help, which won the SAG's coveted ensemble performance award, shows that the race for the iconic statuettes is still on.

The lifetime achievement award was presented to Mary Tyler Moore by Dick Van Dyke. The SAGs are often seen as a good barometer of Oscar success as they are voted for by actors, which have a significant voice when it comes to the Academy awards.

Major Category awards:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: The Help

Outstanding Male Lead Performance: Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Outstanding Female Lead Performance: Viola Davis - The Help

Outstanding Male Supporting Performance: Christopher Plummer - Beginners

Outstanding Female Supporting Performance -Octavia Spencer - The Help

Outstanding Ensemble TV Performances: Boardwalk Empire

Outstanding Comedy Ensemble TV Performances: Modern Family