Gravity and Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave share Bafta spoils
LONDON: Fifteen years after winning a Turner Prize for his art, film director Steve McQueen picked up the best film trophy at the British Academy Film Awards last night for his drama 12 Years A Slave, on a night where the big-budget British-American blockbuster,
Gravity was the other main winner.
McQueen, a Londoner, became the first black filmmaker to win the best film Bafta. The director, 44, thanked his parents, before saying: “Faith, never give up.”
12 Years a Slave is a historical drama based on the true story of Solomon Northup, a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the US in the 1840s. It stars another Londoner, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was named best actor for his role as Northup.
McQueen said his partner, cultural critic Bianca Stigter, discovered the story. “As soon as I had the book in my hand it was a revelation. Every page was a revelation. We can put it back in its rightful spot. Everyone in the world now knows who Solomon Northup is.”
Cate Blanchett was named best actress for her role in Woody Allen’s bittersweet comedy Blue Jasmine. She dedicated her win to US actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died this month.
Gravity, the sci-fi blockbuster that sent Sandra Bullock into space with George Clooney, won six awards, including outstanding British film and best director for Mexican film-maker Alfonso Cuaron.
There had been controversy about whether the film, made with $100m (R1 billion) of Hollywood money, should be entered into the “British” category and be up against such films as The Selfish Giant, which was made on a shoestring budget. But Gravity’s British producer, David Heyman, said the award recognised “everyone working on the film. We had the most incredible crew”.
Gravity, which had 450 people working on it, also won an award for special effects.
The best supporting actor prize went to Barkhad Abdi, who plays a Somali pirate in his debut film, Captain Phillips, with Tom Hanks. Abdi was born in Mogadishu but moved to the US where he worked as a limousine driver before landing a part in the film after an open audition.
Jennifer Lawrence won best supporting actress for American Hustle.
Peter Greenaway, the director whose films include The Draughtsman’s Contract and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, was honoured for his outstanding British contribution to cinema.
This year’s fellowship of the British Academy, the highest honour it can bestow, was presented to Dame Helen Mirren by the Duke of Cambridge.