BROKEBACK WINS AT BAFTAS

The critically acclaimed Brokeback Mountain, about a love affair between two cowboys, scooped a number of awards at the British Academy Film Awards held on Sunday at the Odeon Leicester Square in London.

The film, which is seen as a major Oscar contender (it’s been nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture), won four BAFTAs. It received Awards in the categories of Best Film, Adapted Screenplay, The David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction for Ang Lee and Actor in a Supporting Role for Jake Gyllenhaal.

“It moved me like no other love story I have ever seen,” said Gyllenhaal after receiving his award.

Brokeback Mountain will premiere in South Africa at the Out In Africa film festival in Johannesburg on the 9th of March, opening in cinemas the following day.

Another big winner at the BAFTAs was Memoirs of a Geisha, which received awards for Cinematography, Costume Design and The Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music for John Williams.

Reese Witherspoon won the Award for Actress in a Leading Role for Walk the Line and the film also won a BAFTA for Sound. Crash received Awards for Original Screenplay and Actress in a Supporting Role for Thandie Newton.

Philip Seymour Hoffman won the Award for Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in Capote, about the gay writer Truman Capote.

The Award for Editing was won by The Constant Gardener and King Kong won the Award for Achievement in Special Visual Effects. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won for Production Design and the BAFTA for Make Up & Hair was presented to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

David Puttnam was honoured with the Academy Fellowship. Awarded annually in the Gift of Council, this is the highest accolade bestowed by the Academy. David’s BAFTA winning films include The Mission, The Killing Fields, Chariots of Fire, Local Hero, Midnight Express and Bugsy Malone.