LONDON, England (Reuters) — Stars of the silver screen lit up the red carpet at the Baftas on Sunday (February 14).
Some of the biggest names in the acting world donned their favourite designers for the last major awards ceremony ahead of the Oscars. Oscar De La Renta, Givenchy, Valentino, Armani and Alexander McQueen all featured in the style stakes.
Fashion commentator, Gemma Ebelis told Reuters that dressing stars for awards season is big business. “The minute you see things go down the catwalk in one of the big capitals stylists are instantly on the phone talking to those designers and trying to secure the best dresses for the talent they look after. They can get really competitive around one dress but then also a lot of the designers are making, working months in advance in the run-up to the awards ceremony to make the bespoke gowns that you’ll see in the run up starting with the SAG Awards in LA, running right through Bafta and into the Oscars next month.”
Survival drama “The Revenant” was the major winner at Britain’s biggest movie awards, taking the best film prize and picking up more honours for leading actor Leonardo DiCaprio and director Alejandro G. Inarritu.
The movie scooped five British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, which also included accolades for cinematography and sound at the ceremony in London.
In the film, which has already picked up several trophies in this awards season and is leading the Oscar nominations, DiCaprio portrays fur-trapper Hugh Glass, who after being attacked by a bear, is left for dead by his companions during an 1820s expedition. He survives in the harsh winter conditions and sets out for revenge.
DiCaprio, who was wearing Armani, and who punters say is the favourite to win the best actor Academy Award later this month — his fifth acting Oscar nomination — collected his first BAFTA. He paid tribute to his mother on her birthday and listed actors Daniel Day-Lewis, Gary Oldman and Peter O’Toole among his inspirations.
“All of this was not expected tonight … Often we have talked about how difficult this movie was to make, and it was, but we are so proud,” he told reporters. “I think we all learned and grew from it not only as filmmakers but also as people.”
Inarritu called said the prizes were “overwhelming”.
Continuing her winning streak for her portrayal of a young mother held captive with her son in “Room”, Brie Larson was named winner in the leading actress category.
Kate Winslet, wearing Antoni Dorani, won the supporting actress category for her portrayal in “Steve Jobs” of the late Apple co-founder’s colleague Joanna Hoffman, while Mark Rylance was named best supporting actor for his Soviet spy role in “Bridge of Spies”.
Action adventure “Mad Max: Fury Road” was the second biggest winner on the night with four prizes — editing, makeup and hair, costume design and production design.
Financial misdeeds movie “The Big Short” won for adapted screenplay while “Spotlight”, a film about a newspaper investigation into Catholic Church sex abuse, won original screenplay. Irish immigrant story “Brooklyn” won outstanding British film.
Lesbian romance drama, which had led the nominations with “Bridge of Spies” with nine nods each, went home empty handed.
With the Feb. 28 Oscars in the spotlight because of outcry over the lack of actors of colour among the nominees for a second year, the issue of diversity came up on the night with several guests poking fun at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the criticism it has faced.
“I have never been invited to the Oscars because, as you know, they are racist,” Australian comedienne Rebel Wilson said as she began to introduce a category.
Last month, the Academy pledged to double female and minority membership by 2020.
Fellow BAFTA winners included composer Ennio Morricone, 87, who took the Original Music BAFTA for “The Hateful Eight” score. Veteran Sidney Poitier was honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship for his cinematic contribution.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” won the BAFTA for best special visual effects while cast member John Boyega was named the EE Rising Star, the only award voted for by the public. “I haven’t been doing this for a long time,” he said. “It’s a fluke.”
