Bafta film award winners announced

James Bond film Skyfall has been named outstanding British film at this year’s Baftas.

The movie beat Anna Karenina, The Best Exotical Marigold Hotel, Les Miserables and Seven Psychopaths to win the honour.

“We all had high expectations for this film and this is really the icing on the cake,” director Sam Mendes said as he accepted the award.

The ceremony will be broadcast on BBC One at 21:00 GMT.

Speaking backstage, Mendes said Skyfall star Daniel Craig not being nominated for an award was “the curse of Bond”.

“It was an incredible performance but because Bond is the spine of the movie… You take it for granted.”

Les Miserables was an early winner at the awards held at London’s Royal Opera House.

The musical adaptation – which went into the ceremony with nine nominations – received awards for best sound and best make-up and hair.

Joe Wright’s adaptation of Anna Karenina came away with best costume design.

While Disney Pixar film Brave was named best animation.

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are both up for best actor and actress for their roles in Silver Linings Playbook.

Speaking on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, Lawrence praised director David O Russell for his work on the film, calling him her “saviour and captain”.

“Anytime you’re doing a movie with him it’s a fun challenge and exciting,” she told BBC News. “He brings so much passion it never feels difficult or exhausting.”

Lawrence will battle it out with Zero Dark Thirty’s Jessica Chastain, Rust and Bone’s Marion Cotillard, Hitchock’s Dame Helen Mirren and Amour star Emmanuelle Riva.

Amour, Michael Haneke’s Palme d’Or-winning film about an octogenarian couple coping with illness, is up for four awards, including best director.

Also in the line up for best director is Quentin Tarantino, whose film Django Unchained received a total of five nominations.

Kathryn Bigelow and Ang Lee complete the best director nominees for Zero Dark Thirty and Life of Pi respectively.

One director missing from the shortlist is Tom Hooper, despite his film Les Miserables being up for nine awards.

Hugh Jackman – who is nominated for best actor for his role in the musical film – admitted the cast was disappointed.

“I can tell you 100% I would not be here if it wasn’t for Tom Hooper – the guy’s a genius.” he told BBC News. “I think he’ll be thrilled the film got nominated and he’ll take solace in that.”

The director also played down the omission, saying: “We’ve got nine [Bafta] nominations and eight Oscar nominations. I was very fortunate to come away two years ago with the Oscar so I’m very happy.”

Director Sir Alan Parker, whose works include The Commitments and Bugsy Malone, will be honoured with a British Academy Fellowship.

The award, the highest accolade the Academy can bestow, was given to Martin Scorsese last year.

There will also be an honour for Channel 4 film boss Tessa Ross, who will receive a lifetime achievement award.

The ceremony itself will be broadcast with a two-hour delay on BBC One and BBC One HD.

bbc