The British Oscars, otherwise known as the Baftas, took place last night, with a star-studded cast stepping out on to the chilly red carpet. It was a cold night in London, but some of the biggest names in Hollywood braved the freezing temperatures to meet fans, hold interviews, and generally look glamorous.
In what was one of the best turnouts for a Baftas we’ve seen in a long time, all nominees in both the Best Actor and Best Actress categories made an appearance.
Hollywood heartthrobs Brad Pitt and George Clooney looked dashing in black suits, while the glamour was added by the likes of Meryl Streep and Tilda Swinton.
Films taking inspiration from around the world were all given a nod in the biggest categories of the night. What are the destinations that inspired the winners?
Best supporting actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Set in 1960s Mississippi, The Help charts the journey of Skeeter and her attempts to write a book about the black women who’ve served as maids in white households.
The Help received mixed reviews when it was released, but no one could criticise the performances of the fantastic cast. In the end, it was Octavia Spencer who walked away with the prize.
Cheap Flights To the Mississippi
Best film: The Artist
The Artist has been the surprise hit of the awards season, and is on-course to clean up at the Oscars next month. As it is silent, not everyone realised this was a French film at first. But this unique film scooped the top prize at the Baftas, and earned statues for its director and lead actor.
Best actress: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
The biopic of Margaret Thatcher’s years as Prime Minister has been a huge success. Streep gives a spookily accurate portrayal of Thatcher, and the way the film tackles the Falklands War has viewers on the edge of their seats.
Film not in the English language: The Skin I Live In
This unnerving film from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar charts a plastic surgeon’s struggle to come to terms with his wife’s death. A gritty film, with some great performances.
(Images: PhillipC, Benh LIEU SONG, wofratz, FlickrDelusions)
