Best picture, best production design, best costume design and best hair and makeup went to the papal thriller "Conclave" at the 78th British Academy Film Awards presented on Sunday. Despite all the negativity that put its chances in in jeopardy, musical "Emilia Pérez" proved its status as an awards contender.
In a ceremony that saw no clear frontrunner, "The Brutalist" matched the award tally of "Conclave" with four trophies, including best director for Brady Corbet and best actor for Adrien Brody. Best actress award went to Mikey Madison for her role in the Brooklyn tragicomedy "Anora.
"Conclave," starring Ralph Fiennes as a cardinal overseeing the scheming clerics during the election of a new pope, won the top prize, beating "Anora," "The Brutalist," "Emilia Pérez," and the Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown." The film also took honors for Best British Film, along with awards for Editing and Adapted Screenplay.
Kieran Culkin received the award for best supporting performer for his work in "A Real Pain," and Zoe Saldaña was honored for her work in "Emilia Pérez," which also won best film not in the English language.
Karla Sofía Gascón, nominated for best actress but declining to attend the awards, plays the lead transgender ex-cartel boss in "Emilia Pérez." The film's promotion by Gascón has since retreated amidst the controversy of her social media comments critiquing Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Oscars. Those tweets came out just days before the Oscars, where the film earned 13 nominations.
The film's director, Jacques Audiard, disparaged those comments, but in his acceptance speech, he thanked Gascón and her co-stars Saldaña and Selena Gomez. He said, "I take great pride in what we have accomplished together." From the BAFTA Awards to the Academy Awards.
Stars like Cynthia Erivo, Hugh Grant, Ariana Grande, Lupita Nyong'o, Timothée Chalamet, and Saoirse Ronan walked the red carpet at London's Royal Festival Hall for the BAFTAs. These British honors often hint at who might take home trophies at Hollywood's Academy Awards—set for March 2—during a rather wild awards season.
A clearly British accent is also heard among them. The occasion started with Scottish actor David Tennant, wearing a kilt, leading an enthusiastic singalong of "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)," the anthem by The Proclaimers.
Madison won the award for best female performance for her powerful role as an exotic dancer involved with the son of a Russian oligarch in "Anora." She triumphed overGascón, Demi Moore for the body-horror film "The Substance," Ronan for "The Outrun," Erivo for "Wicked," and Marianne Jean-Baptiste for "Hard Truths."
In her acceptance speech, Madison sent a message to the community of sex workers.
"You are entitled to basic human dignity and respect. I will stand by you as a friend and a supporter for the rest of my life, and I urge others to do the same," she said.
Brody beat rivals including Fiennes, Chalamet, who plays young Dylan in "A Complete Unknown," Grant for the horror film "Heretic," Colman Domingo in the prison drama "Sing Sing," and Sebastian Stan for his role as a young Donald Trump in "The Apprentice."
In the postwar U.S., Brody portrays a Hungarian-Jewish architect. He said, "'The Brutalist' speaks to our divided times; it carries a big message."
"It highlights the importance of our collective responsibility regarding the treatment of others and ourselves," he said. "Antisemitism has no place in our society. Racism is also not acceptable.
"The Brutalist" received awards for its cinematography and mus͏ical score.
Saldaña was acknowledged for her role as a lawyer aiding the protagonist in "Emilia Pérez," helping her path to womanhood and turning her back on a life of crime. Saldaña termed the movie "the creative challenge of a lifetime."
" A Genuine Nuisance," which trails mismatched cousins on a quest to discover their lineage, snagged the BAFTA for best original screenplay along with an acting honor for Culkin.
"I want to share this moment with my wife, who opted not to come because she didn't think I would win," Jesse Eisenberg joked. He also starred in the film and wrote it.
The Claymation adventure "Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" won awards for best animated feature and best family and children's film.
The sci-fi epic "Dune: Part Two" took home awards for sound and visual effects while the hit musical "Wicked" walked away with trophies for costume design and production design.
Most BAFTA winners are decided by 8,000 members of the U.K. academy, made up of industry professionals, while one award – the Rising Star Award – is determined via a public vote from a shortlist of nominees. This year, it went to David Jonsson for his roles in the high finance television drama series "Industry" and the London romantic comedy "Rye Lane."
"I'm not sure, Star," he said. "But I suppose it is about rising.
The best British debut went to Rich Peppiatt, writer and director of the Irish-language hip-hop film 'Kneecap.'
Warwick Davis, star of 'Willow' and 'Return of the Jedi,' picked up the BAFTA Fellowship — the academy's top prize — in honor of his work in film and efforts to make the movie industry more inclusive.
The 11-inch actor set up a talent agency for performers below 5 feet tall stating that short actors were canier more for their height than for their abilities. "Davis remarked as he received his award. This is the greatest moment of my life -- and I've been part of 'Star Wars.'"
It has been an awards season overshadowed by last month’s devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, and BAFTA chairwoman Sara Putt sent messages of support to all those affected.
There was no royal sparkle at this year's event. Prince William, serving as the honorary president of the British film academy, and his wife Kate were both absent due to the school holidays involving their three children.
William, 42, shared a video message he recorded while visiting students at the London Screen Academy.
During the visit, the heir to the throne shared his personal viewing preferences, mentioning that he had seen the World War II film "Darkest Hour" and had started watching the postapocalyptic series "The Last of Us." He said he found it "quite full on" and that he did not finish it.
An earlier version of this article was updated to clarify that the Academy Awards would take place on March 2 rather than March 3.
