When America does awards ceremonies, they are huge, brash affairs in giant golden palaces attended by all the filmstars in the universe. In the UK, though, a drizzly affair inside any old cinema will do.
Last night saw the British Academy Film Awards take place in Leicester Square. The Baftas are often called The British Oscars, but is may as well be called The American Oscars dress-rehearsal, since awards were pretty much handed out to the films that everyone thinks will win academy awards next month. That means you, Brokeback Mountain.
In the world of British awards ceremonies, there are two big names:
The Brits and The Baftas. They’re more or less identical but, since you
don’t have to listen to James Blunt slogging through You’re Beautiful
for the billionth time at The Baftas, they’re probably a bit better.
It turns out that last night’s Baftas were an almost perfect
summation of British life: slightly boring, rainy and in love with
America. A quick round of happy slapping in the intermission would have
rounded things out nicely, but you take what you can get, right?
As for the winners at the Baftas – well, Brokeback Mountain won
loads. Just like at The Golden Globes, The Writers Guild Of America
awards, the Producers Guild Of America awards, the Los Angeles Film
Critics Association awards and the 2006 Best Kept Village in Wiltshire award. At the Baftas, Brokeback Mountain won Best
Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman won the Best Actor Bafta for his role in
Capote, while Reese Witherspoon (DVDs) won another Best Actress award for
playing a dead cowboy’s wife in Walk The Line. George Clooney, who was
nominated four times at the Baftas, went home empty-handed. Now, if he’d been nominated for that Martini advert…
Read more:
Cowboys ride to glory at the Baftas – BBC
[story by Stuart Heritage]