The BAFTAs — aka the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards — may be England’s Oscars, but they don’t honor exclusively British talent. Instead they reach outside the U.K.’s borders, ready to bestow accolades upon other nation’s cinema. This is a long way of saying that even though top prize went to a decidedly British film — 1917, the monster war movie hit made with U.K. and U.S. money — also fêted were such Yank fare as Joker, Judy, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, as well as South Korean barnburner Parasite.
As per Deadline, one-take wonder 1917 — following two British infantrymen as they trawl across dangerous territory circa World War I — took home a grand seven awards, among them both Best Film and Outstanding British Film. Sam Mendes also won for director, Roger Deakins for his next-level cinematographer, while it also nabbed three tech trophies (Production Design, VFX, and Sound). Mendes has already won the same honor at the Golden Globes, the Critics’ Choice, and the DGA, so the filmmaker may be a lock for the Oscar as well, a full 20 years after his screen debut, American Beauty, stormed the ceremony.
Of the other main categories, Joaquin Phoenix nabbed yet another win for Best Actor, Judy star Renee Zelwegger did the same for Actress, and Laura Dern got yet another for her take-no-prisoners turn in Marriage Story. And yes, Brad Pitt was named Best Supporting Actor once more for his shirtless work in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Parasite, meanwhile, won the rather awkwardly titled Best Film Not In the English Language.
The BAFTAs were held exactly one week before the Academy Awards, and many of these wins not only echo the winners of past awards bodies but seem to predict what will go down at the Oscars next Sunday. Of course, 1917 is British, and one of the U.K.’s biggest 2019 moneymakers, so of course it would fetch the top honor. In seven days we’ll learn if it can withstand the power of Joker, The Irishman, Parasite or a dark horse like Jojo Rabbit.
You can see the full list of winners at the BAFTA site.
(Via Deadline)
