It was a good night for Irish-related movies at the Baftas this evening with In Brugesand Hungeramong the winners on an evening when Slumdog Millionairepicked up seven awards including Best Film.
In Bruges, the cult film written and directed by Martin McDonagh, the son of Irish parents, won the Best Screenplay award at the star-studded ceremony which was held at the Royal Opera House in London.
The film, which stared Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell had been nominated in four categories.
Accepting the award on behalf of McDonagh tonight, Brendan Gleeson apologised to the people of Bruges on behalf of the director, saying that it wasn't really a 'shithole', as Colin Farrell's character expressed numerous times during the film.
Elsewhere,
Hunger, Steve McQueen's harrowing study of Bobby Sands's last days, was also among the winners with McQueen awarded the Carl Foreman Award, for "special achievement by a British director, writer or producer for their first feature".
However, the night really belonged to
Slumdog Millionaire, the story of how Indian teen Jamal Malik escaped the slums of Mumbai and became a contestant on the Hindi version of
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. The film won the Best Film Award and awards for Screenplay, Music, Cinematography, Editing, Sound and Best Director for Danny Boyle, whose mother comes from Ballinasloe, Co Galway.
The Orange British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) awards have been in existence for 60 years.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which stars Brad Pitt, won three Baftas for Production Design, Make Up & Hair and Special Visual Effects.
Kate Winslet was awarded the Bafta for Leading Actress for her role as a former concentration camp guard in
The Reader. She had also been nominated in the same category for her part
Revolutionary Road.The Supporting Actress Bafta went to Penélope Cruz for her part in Woody Allen's
Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Mickey Rourke won the Leading Actor award for
The Wrestlerand the Supporting Actor award was presented posthumously to Heath Ledger for
The Dark Knight.
In the animated film category Wall-Ewon against stiff competition from Waltzing With Bashirand Persepolis.
