The black-and-white silent movie "The Artist" was named best picture of 2011 Tuesday by the New York Film Critics Circle. The film's French director, Michel Hazanavicius, was voted best director for his work on the tribute to old-school Hollywood.

Other winners were Meryl Streep (best actress for "The Iron Lady"), Brad Pitt (best actor for his work in "Moneyball" and "The Tree of Life"), Jessica Chastain (best supporting actress for "The Tree of Life," "The Help" and "Take Shelter") and Albert Brooks (best supporting actor for "Drive").

Also announced Tuesday were the nominations for the Spirit Awards, which honor independent films.

"The Artist" and "Take Shelter" led the pack with five nominations each, while "Beginners," "Drive," "The Descendants" and "Martha Marcy May Marlene" each earned four nods. The Spirit Awards will be held Feb. 25 and broadcast by IFC.

'Broken' screening tonight

Patrick Gandy, the director of "Silence Is Broken: Volume I," is a man on a mission.

"Honestly, the conversation about HIV-AIDS isn't where it once was and, unfortunately, it's settling back into our communities, especially among women of color," Gandy tells Names & Faces. "I'm hoping that people will come out to see this incredible concert film that also has important information in it." Among the artists featured in the film are Loretta Devine, T.C. Carson and Patrice Rushen.

World AIDS Day is Thursday, and Gandy says he's showing his film in places like Detroit in the hope that people will walk away feeling entertained and energized to do more in the fight against HIV.

The film screens at 7 tonight at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Tickets are $20, and Gandy says 25% of the evening's proceeds will go to local organizations like the Community Health Awareness Group, World AIDS Day Detroit, Michigan AIDS Coalition and AIDS Partnership Michigan.

For more: www.thesilenceisbroken.org or 949-240-4225.

PETA honors herbivores

Animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has unveiled a collection of postage stamps featuring the faces of famous vegetarians.

Some of the meat-free folks who might be turning up in your mail arePamela Anderson, former "Price Is Right" host Bob Barker, Paul McCartney, Ellen DeGeneres and "Black Swan" Oscar winnerNatalie Portman. The stamps can be purchased online atwww.peta.org.

Briefly

• "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer Ricky Martin is in talks to guest-star on Fox's "Glee" in January, according to www.tvline.com.

• Detroit street artist Antonio (Shades) Agee will be a guest on tonight's edition of Bravo's "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist." The second season of the creative competition includes artist Dusty Mitchell, a Michigan State University graduate from Arkansas. He's competing for $100,000 and a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum. The show airs at 9 p.m.

• Tickets ($85, $127.50 and $29.50 lawn) for Neil Diamond's July 3 show at DTE Energy Music Theatre go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday.

COMPILED BY B.J. HAMMERSTEIN, FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER. CONTACT HIM AT 313-223-4528