‘Ma Rainey’s’ takes home early BAFTAS

The 74th British Academy Film Awards kicked off a two-night event Saturday, handing “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” a lead with two honors.

The first night featured technical awards, while tonight’s event will feature the major acting and directing honors.

The show began an hour later than planned following the death of Britain’s Prince Philip on Friday at age 99. The prince had a long association with film and television. In 1959, he became the first president of the forerunner of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. In a statement, BAFTA said Prince Philip “occupies a special place in the Academy’s history and will be missed enormously.”

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” which has a one more nomination, for best actor (Chadwick Boseman), took home the honors for best costume design and best makeup and hair.

“Mank,” “Tenet” and “Sound of Metal” also took home awards Saturday, for best production design, best visual effects, and best sound, respectively.

The BAFTAS are one of the last big awards shows leading up to the Oscars. This year’s awards have been noted for their diversity of nominees.

The nominees for best film are: “The Father,” “The Mauritanian,” “Nomadland,” “Promising Young Woman,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”

Nominees for best actress are: Bukky Bakray (“Rocks”), Radha Blank (“The Forty-year-old Version”), Vanessa Kirby (“Pieces of a Woman”), Frances Mcdormand (“Nomadland”),

Wunmi Mosaku (“His House”), and Alfre Woodard (“Clemency”).

In addition to Boseman, who was nominated posthumously after he died last year of cancer, nominees for best actor are: Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”),

Adarsh Gourav (“The White Tiger”), Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”),

Mads Mikkelsen (“Another Round”) and

Tahar Rahim (“The Mauritanian”).

Awards will also be handed for best supporting actor and actress, best director, best original score, best documentary, best animated film, among others.