BAFTA's red carpet rolls out for 'All Quiet at the Western Front' and 'The Banshees of Inisherin'
A gut-wrenching war movie from Germany and pitch-black Irish comedy were the big winners as British cinema handed out its annual BAFTA awards on Sunday, with less than a month to go to the Oscars.prin
With 14 nods, German director Edward Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front started the night as the most-nominated foreign-language film in the BAFTA academy's 76-year history.
The Netflix drama triumphed with seven awards, including best film and best director for Berger, as well as original score and cinematography, in the buildup to the Academy Awards on March 12.
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<p>With a nod to modern-day conflicts including Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he said that the film and novel showed that "war is anything but an adventure."<br />
The German movie had tied with Ang Lee's martial arts drama <em>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</em>, co-starring Michelle Yeoh, which also earned 14 BAFTA nominations in 2001. </p>
<p>Yeoh was nominated for best actor this year as a worn-down laundromat owner who transforms into a high-kicking heroine, in the wildly inventive <em>Everything Everywhere All At Once</em>.</p>
<p>Yeoh's kung-fu science-fiction film received 10 BAFTA nominations, but only won one for editing. She lost out to Cate Blanchett for her portrayal of a troubled classical music conductor in <em>Tar</em>.</p><div class=)
Making sadness fun
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<p>Its four wins included best supporting actor for Barry Keoghan and best supporting female actor for Kerry Condon — who at first was not given the prize after a miscommunication on stage.</p>
<p><em>Banshees</em> director Martin McDonagh, one of the rare UK nominees for this year's top gongs, won <em>Best British film</em> despite the heavily Irish profile of <em>Banshees </em>and best original screenplay.</p>
<p>"Making a sad film shouldn't be so much fun," he said.</p>
<p>Beating out the favourite Farrell, US actor Austin Butler won the leading actor prize for his all-out portrayal of the king of rock and roll in <em>Elvis</em>.</p><div class=)
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<p>The awards suffered controversy two years ago when BAFTA gave a lifetime achievement award to British actor and producer Noel Clarke, only for a series of sexual misconduct allegations to emerge against him.</p>
<p>This time, Bulgarian investigative journalist and Kremlin critic Christo Grozev said he has was "banned" from attending the awards, where a film about dissident Alexei Navalny won best documentary.</p>
<p>Grozev, who is credited with helping to reveal a plot to kill Navalny, appears in the documentary. He tweeted, "wow" after the prize was announced.</p>
<p>"He is such an important part of this film, so it's very sad for us that he is not here," producer Odessa Rae told reporters at the awards.</p><div class=)
BAFTA also faced criticism for overlooking women.
Only one, Gina Prince-Bythewood, was nominated for best director for The Woman King. That was one more than the Oscars managed in that category this year.
Berger, Farrell, Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis were among many attendees who wore blue ribbons on their suits and gowns in support of refugees.
The Banshees of Inisherin
DIRECTOR
Edward Berger, All Quiet on the Western Front
LEADING FEMALE ACTOR
Cate Blanchett, Tár
LEADING ACTOR
Austin Butler, Elvis
SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR
Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barry Keoghan, The Banshees of Inisherin
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Banshees of Inisherin
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
All Quiet on the Western Front
FILM NOT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE
All Quiet on the Western Front
DOCUMENTARY
Navalny
ANIMATED FILM
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
ORIGINAL SCORE
All Quiet on the Western Front
EE RISING STAR AWARD
Emma Mackey
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