Date: 14th February 2011

BAFTA Crowns 'The King's Speech'


The King's Speech ruled at the Baftas, winning seven awards included best film and best actor for Colin Firth.

It also won outstanding British film, best original screenplay, supporting acting honours for Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush, and best score.

David Fincher was named best director for The Social Network. Black Swan's Natalie Portman was best actress.

Firth is the first star to win the best actor Bafta two years' running since the late Rod Steiger won back-to-back Baftas for The Pawnbroker in 1967 and In the Heat of the Night in 1968.

"The Social Network," the critical favorite considered the chief Oscar rival to "The King's Speech," won the Best Director award for David Fincher, as well as winning for its editing and Aaron Sorkin's adapted screenplay.

Natalie Portman, who was not present due to being heavily pregnant, won best actress for her portrayal of a tortured prima ballerina in Black Swan.

Director Darren Aronofsky praised her dedication to the role.

Of the seven awards won by "The King's Speech," the most unusual was its Outstanding British Film honor. That award, which is voted by a small jury, invariably goes to a movie that does not win the Best Film award.

Unsurprisingly, Toy Story 3 won best animation feature film.

The King's Speech was up for 14 awards in all but missed out in the technical categories.

Best foreign film went to the original Swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which was presented by film critic Mark Kermode.

The film is based on Swedish crime writer Stieg Larsson's best-selling novel.

Christopher Nolan's Inception picked up three technical prizes - best sound, production design, and special effects.

Tom Hardy, who stars in Inception, won Bafta's Rising Star award, voted for by the public.

Roger Deakins won the best cinematography prize for Western re-make True Grit.

Source: Press Release


 

 

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