BAFTAs 2017: La La Land dances its way to glory
OLD-time glamour won the day last night as hit musical La La Land scooped a haul of top prizes at the Baftas.
La La Land wins BAFTA for Best Film
The box-office smash, starring Ryan Gosling as a jazz musician struggling to make ends meet, and Emma Stone as an aspiring actress, won five awards including Best Film after being nominated in 11 different categories.
Damien Chazelle was honoured with the Director award for the film against competition from Ken Loach, Tom Ford, Denis Villeneuve and Kenneth Lonergan.
He told the ceremony in London: “Thank you to the academy, this is an incredible honour.
"One of the biggest pleasures of being here tonight is being able to be with and sit with some of the people I made the movie with.”
He thanked Justin Hurwitz, who won the Original Music Bafta for the movie earlier in the night.
Emma, who was also awarded the Bafta for Leading Actress, hinted at the turbulent time facing the world.
Emma Stone at The BAFTAs 2017
She said: “I don’t know if you realise this, this country and the US, and the world seems to be going through a bit of a time, just a bit and in a time that is so divisive I think it’s really special we were all able to come together tonight, thanks to Bafta, and to celebrate the positive.”
Sadly Bafta have run out of actors, therefore I’ve been roped in
The film also won for cinematography. Casey Affleck won leading actor for gritty tragedy Manchester By The Sea, which also took the spoils in the best original screenplay.
Viola Davis won best supporting actress for blue-collar drama Fences.
Prince William presented the Fellowship award to comedian Mel Brooks saying: “Sadly Bafta have run out of actors, therefore I’ve been roped in.”
Ken Loach SLAMS government during BAFTA speech
He said of Brooks that he is an “extremely talented filmmaker composer and actor”.
Director Ken Loach, 80, won an Outstanding British film gong for I, Daniel Blake. Loach’s film, which places life in the benefits system under the microscope, beat off competition from Denial, Notes On Blindess and the JK Rowling-penned Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.
He apologised for the “political” nature of his speech. He said: “Films can do many things, they can entertain, terrify, they can make us laugh and tell us something about the real world we live in – sorry it’s early for a political speech – and in that real world it’s getting darker and in the struggle that is coming between rich and poor and the wealthy and the privileged and the big corporations and politicians who speak for them.
“The rest of us on the other side – fi lm makers know which side they are on and despite the glitz and glamour of occasions like this, we are with the people.”
UK-made Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts, which stars Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, clinched the production design accolade.
Former Skins star Dev Patel was also celebrating on the night after being awarded the best supporting actor Bafta for his role in Lion.
Patel, who stars opposite Nicole Kidman, said: “This is so overwhelming, I sit at home and watch this with my family, who are here with me tonight, and it’s such an overwhelming feeling.”
The Rising Star award, the only Bafta voted for by the public, was handed to Tom Holland, who will star in the future Spider-Man Homecoming film.
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