Tyler Perry is NAACP big award winner

Tyler Perry

Writer and director Tyler Perry was the big winner at this year's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Image Awards.

Perry's film For Colored Girls was named best movie and he also scooped the best director prize for the film.

The 41-year-old's TV series, Tyler Perry's House of Payne, was named best comedy series.

There were also prizes for Halle Berry and Denzel Washington at the awards ceremony, which took place in the US.

Washington won the best actor award for The Book of Eli and Berry was named best actress for Frankie & Alice.

"If it were not for the NAACP, a little girl like me would not have had wind beneath her wings in a small town in Ohio," Berry said.

"I have never been more proud to be a black woman."

Frankie & Alice won the trophy for best outstanding independent picture.

There were also awards for Kimberly Elise for her supporting role in For Colored Girls and David Mann, who stars in Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns.

Medical drama Grey's Anatomy was named outstanding drama series, Vanessa Williams won the best actress TV prize for Desperate Housewives and Modern Family star Sofia Vergara took home the best supporting comedy actress award.

On the music side there were awards for Usher, Alicia Keys, Fantasia and Willow Smith.

Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell received the NAACP President's Award for special achievement in public service.

The US awards show honours diversity in film, television, music and literature.