Popular musical La La Land took five prizes including best picture at BAFTA, but major awards also went to tough welfare-state drama I, Daniel Blake and fractured-family stories Lion and Manchester by the Sea.
Accepting the best-actress trophy for playing a barista who dreams of Hollywood stardom, Emma Stone said that “this country and the US, and the world seems to be going through a bit of a time.”
The UK awards, known as BAFTAs, are often seen as an indicator of who will win at Hollywood’s Academy Awards, held two weeks later.
La La Land already is a dominant force at the Oscars, with 14 nominations. It also has won seven Golden Globes.
La La Land had 11 nominations for the British awards and won prizes for Stone, director Damien Chazelle, music and cinematography as well as best picture.
Casey Affleck, who played a grieving handyman in Manchester by the Sea won the best male actor.
The wintry New England drama also won Lonergan the prize for best original screenplay.
British actor Dev Patel pulled off an upset, beating favourite Mahershala Ali, from Moonlight, to the best supporting actor trophy for Lion.
He said Lion, which co-stars Nicole Kidman is “a film, about family, about a love that transcends borders, race, colour, anything.
Lion also took the BAFTA for best adapted screenplay.
Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake was named best British film.
BAFTA: Know More- The 70th British Academy Film Awards, and for sponsorship reasons the EE British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs, were held on 12 February 2017.
- Host: Stephen Fry
- Location: The Royal Albert Hall, London, United Kingdom
