Starry night at Scottish Baftas
● Female stars use gala event to hit at industry’s sexual abuse scandal
Writer Armando Iannucci was awarded a Bafta for Outstanding Contribution to Film and TV at a ceremony in Glasgow last night. T2 Trainspotting took home three awards – best film, best director and best actor – while Deirdre Mullins and Laura Fraser took the best film and TV actress prizes respectively
T2 Trainspotting claimed three major honours at Scotland’s film and television “Oscars” – as a host of female stars spoke out over the sexual abuse scandal that has engulfed the industry.
The long-awaited sequel to the iconic adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel was named best feature film, with Danny Boyle honoured as best director.
Ewen Bremner fought off the challenge of fellow T2 stars Ewan Mcgregor and Robert Carlyle to be named best film actor for his portrayal of Spud.
In a message read out at the ceremony by screenwriter John Hodge, Bremner said: “To be in the service of the visionaries of this great film is everything I could wish for as an actor. Collaboration is the most beautiful and rewarding aspect of filmmaking in my opinion … If the film reached you and spoke to you on any level then I cannot wish for any more than that.”
Andrew Macdonald, producer of the two films, said: “One of the things that makes me feel very happy about making this film 20 years later is what a success it is in Scotland.
“The film made around £18 million at the UK box office, of which 30 per cent was made in Scotland, against the norm of businesses of 8 to 10 per cent. It just shows that if you tell a Scottish story the people really like it here. We could do with many, many more.”
Boyle, who did not pick up his award in person but sent a video message to the ceremony, said: “Thank you to everybody who went to see the movie. The Scottish identity of the film and its predecessor was everything to us in making the film, crewing and obviously at the box office.”
Hodge, who also penned the original screenplay of Trainspotting, said he had found the process of making the sequel “very draining” – but did not rule out a third film.
He said: “I was always really reluctant to do it. I knew the difficult thing was going to be the story. I wanted it to be a very democratic thing and give each of the actors a reason to turn up.
“It felt like going back into our own past. We hadn’t seen each other for such a long time, everyone had got old, the first film had got old.
“I kept trying to put it off but eventually Danny said he had organised for me, him and Andrew to go to Edinburgh for the weekend. It really was a case now or never.
“When everyone went their separate ways I had a terrible sinking feeling. I thought, ‘Oh no, now I’ve got to do it.
“I thought that what Danny and the cast did with the film was fantastic. I don’t know if I would jump back into it again. But on the other hand, Irvine Welsh is relentlessly productive, so who knows?”
Deirdre Mullins, who was named best film actress, was among the female stars to speak out over the wave of allegations of sexual abuse and misogyny which have swept over the industry recently.
She said: “In film and television in the UK there are two male characters for every one female character.
“Our sons and daughters are absorbing hours and hours of narrative telling them that men are more powerful and interesting and woman are the prize at the end. It’s detrimental to society and we need to do something about it.”
Laura Fraser, who was named best TV actress for her role in BBC crime drama The Missing, said: “I really hope it encourages more women and men to speak out. I’m so happy to see that there’s a movement away from victim blaming and victim shaming. I think it’s a really good move away from the dark ages we’ve been in.”
Her fellow nominee Morven Christie said: “None of it is particularly surprising to me. A spotlight is being shone on this industry because it is very newsworthy. It’s something that, as women, we see in society all around us all the time. It’s something in the culture that needs to start to change.”
The final award of the night was the Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television, which went to Armando Iannucci, presented by Peter Capaldi. The actor, who memorably played Malcolm Tucker in Iannucci’s BBC TV show The Thick Of It, paid tribute to the writer’s contribution to comedy in particular.