So far the run up until the coveted Academy Awards for Slumdog Millionaire has been a dream. They have won Best Film at many of the prestigious award ceremonies this year and now they can add one more statue, well actually 7 to the list full of wins! The British Academy Film Awards were held this evening in London and Slumdog Millionaire was once again the movie of the night!
Not only did it win Best Editing for Chris Dickens, Best Sound: Resul Pookutty, Glen Freemantle, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp and Best Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle, it also took home many of the biggest honors of the evening. A R Rahman was once again awarded Best Music for his fantastic soundtrack and Simon Beaufoy took home another trophy for his mantle for Best Adapted Screenplay. In his acceptance speech Beaufoy said he felt it was a “immense privilege” and added, “I have two pretend Baftas at home, so it’s great to have a real one,” he said. The two he has at home, one is chocolate and one plastic!
The two biggest prizes of the evening also went to the little film that could. Danny Boyle, fresh off his win from the Directors Guild of America, was given the Best Director award and the film walked away with Best Film! Danny said, “We are all hugely indebted, all of us, everybody you have honored and those you have nominated tonight to the people of Mumbai. Especially the actors, Anil and Irrfan and all the other young actors who helped us Dev and Freida, Madhur, Ayush, Azhar and Rubina, Tanay, Tanvi and Ashutosh.” He then went on to thank other crew members and his family (with his son standing yelling I love you Dad!) and ended with, “In a play by Howard Barker called Victory there is a wonderful line at the end of it were he says, ‘There is nowhere to go in the end but where you come from’ and with that in mind I would really like to thank BAFTA. Thanks very much.”
An interesting thing to note is that both Rahman’s win and Pookutty’s for sound is the first time BAFTAs have been won by India.
Next stop on the award circuit for the film is the Oscars and it is a heavy favorite to once again win Best Film! We will have to wait and watch and will be sure to report the results as soon as the show is over on February 22nd!
