Gongs for Ben Affleck's Argo - Highlights of the BAFTA's 2013

Argo beat the competition to take the gong for Best Film at this year's BAFTAs, with Skyfall awarded Outstanding British Film. Leading Actor went to Daniel Day Lewis for Lincoln, Emmanuelle Riva was named Leading Actress for Michael Haneke's Amour, while Christoph Waltz and Anne Hathaway walked away with the awards for Supporting Actor and Actress respectively. Although it garnered the most nominations overall, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln did not receive one for Best Director. That award went to Ben Affleck for Argo.

The 2013 BAFTA award nominations were notable for their variety and quality, representing big-budget blockbusters, stunning international cinema and left-field independent films. The awards were always predicted to be "a wide open race", and this, to quote BAFTA's chairman Michael Willis, "really reflects the health of cinema throughout the world."

Ben Affleck with his BAFTA's -
Pic (below) courtesy of www.independent.co.uk

Stephen Fry hosted the evening, and a stellar list of nominees and leading members from the film industry were in attendance, including Ben Affleck, Anne Hathaway, George Clooney, Ang Lee, Quentin Tarantino, Daniel Day-Lewis, Hugh Jackman, Steven Spielberg, Sam Mendes and Jennifer Lawrence.

Hollywood producer Rebecca Wang attended in her capacity as a member of the Academy Circle, which constitutes the charitable side of BAFTA. She is strongly committed to a proactive role in enabling, encouraging and supporting all art forms of creative talent across the film industry.

In addition to the high-profile awards ceremonies held annually in London, Los Angeles and New York, 

BAFTA runs a year-round Learning and Events programme aimed at audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK and USA.  The programme offers unique access via workshops, master classes, lectures and mentoring schemes to some of the world's most inspiring talent.

The Academy has also in recent years extended the range of access to resources that inform and inspire. Its online archive is a treasure trove of features, photographs and interviews.

The 66th BAFTAs took place at London's Royal Opera House on Sunday 10^th February, and a post-ceremony dinner was hosted at the Grosvenor House Hotel.  A bit of Hollywood in London...

About BAFTA
The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards are the Academy's highest film honours, rewarding the best work of any nationality seen on British screens over the previous year. An independent charity, BAFTA also aims "to support, develop and promote the art form of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners, and benefitting the public."

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