Nomadland took four of the top prizes at this year’s Bafta Film Awards, while Promising Young Woman and The Father won two apiece.
The 2021 EE British Academy Film Awards were presented over two ceremonies in one weekend.
Nomadland confirmed its position as front runner for the Oscars in two weeks by scooping awards for Best Film, Director for Chloé Zhao, Leading Actress for Frances McDormand, and Cinematography for Joshua James Richards.
Zhao’s win comes 11 years after Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win best director for The Hurt Locker, and Zhao’s victory means she is the first woman of colour to pick up the prize.
Promising Young Woman won two awards: Outstanding British Film, and Original Screenplay for Emerald Fennell.
The Father also won two awards: Leading Actor for 83-year-old Anthony Hopkins, who is the oldest ever winner of the award, and Adapted Screenplay for Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller.
Most winners were watching live and delivered acceptance speeches remotely, with none of the nominees at the Royal Albert Hall in person.
Supporting Actor was won by British star Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah.
Supporting Actress was awarded to Yuh-Jung Youn for Minari.
Soul won Animated Film and Original Score. Another Round won Film Not in the English Language.
Sound of Metal won Editing and Sound. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom won Costume Design and Make Up & Hair.
Writer/director Remi Weekes received the award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer for His House.
My Octopus Teacher won Documentary, Rocks won Casting, Tenet won Special Visual Effects and Mank won Production Design. It was the only win for Mank, which heads into the Oscars in a fortnight with the most nominations – 10. The Trial of the Chicago 7, News of the World and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm all went home empty-handed.
The Present won the British Short Film award, while the BAFTA for British Short Animation was won by The Owl and the Pussycat.
The Special Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema was presented to filmmaker Noel Clarke, who said his prize was specifically for: “the underrepresented, anyone who sits at home believing that they can achieve more.”
He added: “This is particularly for my young black boys and girls out there who never believed that this could happen to them.”
The Fellowship, the highest honour the Academy can bestow, was introduced by Hugh Grant and presented to director Ang Lee.
The EE Rising Star Award, voted for by the public, went to Bukky Bakray.
Sunday’s ceremony, hosted by Edith Bowman and Dermot O’Leary, was held at London’s Royal Albert Hall with nominees attending virtually.
The show included three featured musical performances: by Liam Payne, Celeste, and Leslie Odom Jr. (from Los Angeles) and Corinne Bailey Rae.
On Saturday 10 April, the ‘Opening Night’ ceremony was hosted Clara Amfo, who was joined by guests Rhianna Dhillon and Joanna Scanlan at the Royal Albert Hall.
This year’s shortlists included a diverse line-up of talent, following an outcry last year when voters only nominated white actors. Bafta subsequently carried out a major overhaul of its membership and voting process.
This time 16 of the 24 acting contenders came from minority ethnic backgrounds, while 21 were first-time nominees.
Jon Creamer
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