“12 Years a Slave” grabs best film prize at BAFTA Awards

PanARMENIAN.Net - Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity” led the field with six prizes at the BAFTA film awards, which unspooled at London’s Royal Opera House Sunday, Feb 16. “American Hustle” took three awards, according to Variety.

The BAFTA for best film went to “12 Years a Slave” In his speech, helmer-producer Steve McQueen said that there were “21 million people living in slavery as we sit here now.” McQueen was joined at the event by fellow producers Anthony Katagas, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner.

The honor for leading actress went to Cate Blanchett for “Blue Jasmine.” She dedicated the award to “the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman.” “You raised the bar so very high… So, Phil, this is for you, you bastard. I hope you are proud,” she said.

Cuaron took the director prize for “Gravity.” He said he considered himself to be part of the British film industry as he had lived in the U.K. for 13 years, and had made half of his films in the country. “I guess I make a very good case for curbing immigration,” he joked — a reference perhaps to the ongoing debate in the U.K. about the benefits and costs of immigration.

The leading actor award went to Chiwetel Ejiofor for “12 Years a Slave.” He paid tribute to McQueen, and said that the award really belonged to the helmer. “It’s yours. I’m going to keep it, but it is yours,” he said.

The award for film not in the English language went to Paolo Sorrentino, Nicola Giuliano and Francesca Cima for “The Great Beauty.”

The award for special visual effects went to Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, Neil Corbould and Nikki Penny for “Gravity.”

The adapted screenplay prize went to Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope for “Philomena.” Coogan thanked “the real Philomena,” who was in the audience. He said that she had had her voice heard in the Vatican, but there were thousands of other women who were still searching for their children.

The award for original screenplay went to “American Hustle’s” David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer, who said he had been “breastfed at a very early age on British cinema.”

“American Hustle’s” Jennifer Lawrence nabbed the prize for supporting actress.

The prize for cinematography went to Emmanuel Lubezki for “Gravity.”

The award for supporting actor was picked up by Barkhad Abdi for “Captain Phillips.” He thanked the performers who played the other pirates in the film. “We came from nothing and I got this (the BAFTA),” he said.

The prize for outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer went to director-writer Kieran Evans for “Kelly + Victor.”

“Frozen’s” Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee took the award for animated film. They thanked the 600-strong cast and crew behind the production.