The HeyUGuys 2014 BAFTA Liveblog

Welcome, gorgeous people, to the biggest night in British Film. We’re here at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and we’ll be liveblogging as the night rolls on.

12 Years a Slave, Gravity, American Hustle, Captain Phillips and Philomena have the majority of nominations and are all competing for Best Picture. It is an undeniably strong year for British Film and we’re grateful for a spotlight as wide and as bright as this one to be shone this evening.

If you haven’t already checked out our BAFTA competition, do so now – the prizes are worth £700. Blimey.

We’ll be updating this liveblog minute by minute until my fingers fall off with the most recent update being shown at the top of the top so do keep refreshing.

Great to have you with us.

– – – – – –

We’re at the end of another BAFTA evening and we thank you all for sticking with us for another year. See you next year?

21.36 – I won’t spoil Helen Mirren’s speech but you’ll be able to watch it on the Beeb shortly. Make sure you do.

21.30 – The time has come, the betuxedoed walrus said, for the final award. No surprises here as Dame Helen Mirren receives the BAFTA Fellowship award. Jeremy Irons is on stage taking us through her career, and there are many, many roles which define her staggering presence on screen.

21.25 – The winner is 12 Years a Slave! Steve McQueen is a commanding presence on stage – the man is a true artist – seek out Hunger and Shame, two parts of a haunting trilogy.

21.22 – Stephen Fry is about to disrobe. But not before this…

BEST FILM

12 YEARS A SLAVE Anthony Katagas, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen

AMERICAN HUSTLE Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison, Jonathan Gordon

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca

GRAVITY Alfonso Cuarón, David Heyman

PHILOMENA Gabrielle Tana, Steve Coogan, Tracey Seaward

And then there was one.

This year we’ve seen many great films come and go and as with many of the awards tonight  each film on the list of nominees is well worth your time.

 

21.20 – The award for Leading Actress is presented to… Cate Blanchett!

21.18 – Well, it’s a fairly even spread tonight which is always preferable. Let’s close up the awards with out penultimate unknown award –

LEADING ACTRESS

AMY ADAMS American Hustle

CATE BLANCHETT Blue Jasmine

EMMA THOMPSON Saving Mr. Banks

JUDI DENCH Philomena

SANDRA BULLOCK Gravity

It’s great to see Emma Thompson get the nod here for her role as P.L. Travers in Saving Mr Banks however it’s hard to imagine a more leading performance than Cate Blanchett’s in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine.

Sandra Bullock did great work in Gravity and may get called up to the stage. The suspense is hurting me quite a bit. Let’s see shall we?

 

21.12 – The BAFTA goes to Alfonso Cuaron!

21.10 Coming into the final stretch it’s the BAFTA for Best Director.

 

DIRECTOR

12 YEARS A SLAVE Steve McQueen

AMERICAN HUSTLE David O. Russell

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Paul Greengrass

GRAVITY Alfonso Cuarón

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET Martin Scorsese

The talk is that 12 Years a Slave and Gravity will split the Film and Director awards but both are deserving here. While the other film deserve their place in the spotlight they are edged out by the films of McQueen and Cuaron. Both very different films, both passion projects, shall we see who the British Academy saw fit to award this year…

21.06 – The BAFTA goes to Chiwetel Ejiofor. Grand performance – towering. The sort of performance which eats up all the air around it. Stunning. The speech is a cascade of gratitude and the man deserves every moment in the spotlight.

21.03 – Following a look at Alfonso Curon’s Gravity (which even in hashed up clip form can still terrify with its images of bodies floating in space) we come to another award…

LEADING ACTOR

BRUCE DERN Nebraska

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR 12 Years a Slave

CHRISTIAN BALE American Hustle

LEONARDO DICAPRIO The Wolf of Wall Street

TOM HANKS Captain Phillips

This simply has to be Chiwetel Ejifor’s award. The range and gut-wrenching passion the man held in his performance didn’t so much as lead Steve McQueen’s film as drive it through our hearts. Tom Hanks did great work – his final scene in particular, but Ejiofor edges it.

Who will it be? Not you or me…

20.59 – The Great Beauty wins it! Fantastic choice – a sublime, surreal film – your cinematic cup does really floweth over with this one. Seek it out and love it.

20.56 – One of my favourite awards of the evening – there are some gems here.

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

THE ACT OF KILLING Joshua Oppenheimer, Signe Byrge Sørensen

BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR Abdellatif Kechiche, Brahim Chioua, Vincent Maraval

THE GREAT BEAUTY Paolo Sorrentino, Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima

METRO MANILA  Sean Ellis, Mathilde Charpentier

WADJDA Haifaa Al-Mansour, Gerhard Meixner, Roman Paul

Another category where the wealth of talent is a joy indeed. The variety of visions conjured up by the filmmakers nominated here point to a far wider world usually offered in the multiplexes. It’s a world that is too much fun to leave behind the curtain, this award goes someway to taking a peek.

Let’s see what the peeking came to shall we?

20.52 – Gravity takes this one – not a surprise, but a well deserved win.

20.51  After a sobering break to honour those we have lost this year we come to another award.

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

GRAVITY Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, Neil Corbould, Nikki Penny

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, Eric Reynolds

IRON MAN 3 Bryan Grill, Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Dan Sudick

PACIFIC RIM Hal Hickel, John Knoll, Lindy De Quattro, Nigel Sumner

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS Ben Grossmann, Burt Dalton, Patrick Tubach, Roger Guyett

Otherwise known tonight as the Gravity award.

Go Framestore GO!

20.44 – This year’s rising star is – Will Poulter but all are stars to watch. The showreels are fantastic. See Wild Bill if you haven’t. And Son of Rambow. It’s a great speech too, watch out for it on the Beeb.

20.42 – VOTED FOR THE PUBLIC AWARD! Hey guys, it’s THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

DANE DEHAAN

GEORGE MACKAY

LUPITA NYONG’O

WILL POULTER

LÉA SEYDOUX

Hopeful for Will Poulter and George Mackay…

 

 

20.37 – Winning tonight are Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope for Philomena.

20.36 – Yet another award! Let’s go…

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

12 YEARS A SLAVE John Ridley

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA Richard LaGravenese

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Billy Ray

PHILOMENA Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET Terence Winter

Terence Winter’s stellar reworking of Jordan Belfort’s book made for a wonderful, rapid fire thrill ride of excess and nonsense which gave us one of the best films of the year. However it’s Philomena who should win this one – Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan’s adaptation is soulful and touching.

20.33 – We’re taking an extended look at Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave. Empty-handed so far this evening. We are the winners here.

20.30 – American Hustle wins again! Not that it’s a surprise – it’s a fine film.

20.27 – Right! Another award…

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

AMERICAN HUSTLE Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell

BLUE JASMINE Woody Allen

GRAVITY Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

NEBRASKA Bob Nelson

Such quality on display here, Gravity is a masterclass of balancing tone and tension, The Coens excelled again with the sad love song of Inside Llewyn Davis but this could well be Allen’s award.

Pencils down, let’s see…

20.19 – We’ve just seen a big picture hullabaloo for Philomena which was fun – now’s the first of two awards we knew the outcomes of this year.

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION – Peter Greenaway

A masterclass conducted by Peter Greenaway at Lovebytes (http://www.lovebytes.org.uk) , Saturday 16 April 2005 on Sheffield.

Part 1:

 

20.14 – Jennifer Lawrence wins it! Tough group to win, and that’s a shock.

20.12 –

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

JENNIFER LAWRENCE American Hustle

JULIA ROBERTS August: Osage County

LUPITA NYONG’O 12 Years a Slave

OPRAH WINFREY The Butler

SALLY HAWKINS Blue Jasmine

I’d love Sally Hawkins to take it, Woody Allen has a habit of drawing the best out of his actors however this award belongs to Lupita Nyong’o whose turn in 12 Years a Slave burns into the mind and that’s the work of a fine actress who has a long career ahead of her.

Here is the award.

20.11 – Walking away with it this year is Gravity – Emmanuel Lubezki. Alfonso Cuaron is on his way up – don’t think this is the only time he’ll be up there tonight.

20.08 – I say, here’s fun! Let’s hand out another award shall we?

CINEMATOGRAPHY

12 YEARS A SLAVE Sean Bobbitt

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Barry Ackroyd

GRAVITY Emmanuel Lubezki

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS Bruno Delbonnel

NEBRASKA Phedon Papamichael

A rare BAFTA outing for both Alexander Payne and The Coens, but there’s a feeling here that Lubezki’s work on Gravity will draw the awards as it has already drawn the accolades. There’s so much good work here that each could walk with it. Let’s see shall we?

Go!

20.06 – After that wonderful moment for Barkhad Abdi we’re into another long look at a Best Picture nominee – Captain Phillips coincidentally. Fun film, taut, tight and contains two minutes of Hanks greatness.

20.01 – He is! Barkhad Abdi wins it. Looking genuinely shocked.  A hugely popular winner. Huge cheers for him.

19.59  –

SUPPORTING ACTOR

BARKHAD ABDI Captain Phillips

BRADLEY COOPER American Hustle

DANIEL BRÜHL Rush

MATT DAMON Behind the Candelabra

MICHAEL FASSBENDER 12 Years a Slave

This has to be Abdi’s award. Surely, right? There was such a malevolence to his reluctant villian Muse that he stole the show in Greengrass’s film. Fassbender is great, and therefore was great in Steve McQueen’s film, but Barkhad Abdi’s the man for this one.

But is he? IS HE?

19.56 – Winner -> Kieran Evans for Kelly + Victor. We did a great interview with him last week telling the incredible story of the film. Check it out here.

19.54 – Another award – one of my favourites every year. Steve Coogan takes the stage for…

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

COLIN CARBERRY (Writer), GLENN PATTERSON (Writer) Good Vibrations

KELLY MARCEL (Writer) Saving Mr. Banks

KIERAN EVANS (Director/Writer) Kelly + Victor

PAUL WRIGHT (Director/Writer), POLLY STOKES (Producer) For Those in Peril

SCOTT GRAHAM (Director/Writer) Shell

Man – well, there’s so much talent here. This is always one of the most interesting categories as each of the nominees have glittering futures ahead of them and it’s great to see them championed this early on in their careers.

My pick is Paul Wright and Polly Stokes. But that’s all for the wind – let’s see who the Academy chose.

19.51 – Ok – there’s a break now while they look at the Best Picture nominees – American Hustle first. So far it’s an interesting ceremony with no one film running away with it. The Art of Killing’s win should reintroduce it into the movie buzz eco-system and should help spread the word even wider – it certainly deserves to be seen.

19.48 – The BAFTA goes to – Frozen! Great to see an original getting it.

19.47 –

ANIMATED FILM

DESPICABLE ME 2 Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin

FROZEN Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Dan Scanlon

Seems odd that only three films are here, and that they are huge studio films, but Frozen is a run-away success for Disney. That, and the fact that it’s the only non-sequel on the list, makes it a winner for me.

Shall we find out? Hmm? Let’s…

19.45 – Gravity takes it! And there’s a fine, concise speech from the heart to boot.

19.43 – Every year I forget how quickly these awards go in the early stages – when the TV friendly awards come around though things slow down. More Stephen Fry – and another award –

ORIGINAL MUSIC

12 YEARS A SLAVE  Hans Zimmer

THE BOOK THIEF John Williams

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Henry Jackman

GRAVITY Steven Price

SAVING MR. BANKS Thomas Newman

Plenty of choice this morning – Saving Mr. Banks does a fine job of weaving in the work of the Sherman brothe while Steven Price’s work on Gravity does a very fine job of enhancing the images Alfonso Cuaron created.

It’s time…

1941 – The winner is… The Great Gatsby – again!

19.39 – Nice to see that there’s not a clear winner in any category so far, but also that BAFTA have got it right (i.e. Agreed with me)…

 

Ok – another award – COSTUME DESIGN

AMERICAN HUSTLE Michael Wilkinson

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA Ellen Mirojnick

THE GREAT GATSBY Catherine Martin

THE INVISIBLE WOMAN Michael O’Connor

SAVING MR. BANKS Daniel Orlandi

Again the period films dominate here and I have a feeling that Gatsby will dance away with it. We’re all hoping for the glitterama of Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra to outshine all.

Let’s check it…

19.38 – The winner is… American Hustle.

19.36 – Another award destined for the Beeb’s cutting room floor –
MAKE UP & HAIR

AMERICAN HUSTLE Evelyne Noraz, Lori McCoy-Bell

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA Kate Biscoe, Marie Larkin

THE BUTLER Debra Denson, Beverly Jo Pryor, Candace Neal

THE GREAT GATSBY Maurizio Silvi, Kerry Warn

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG Peter Swords King, Richard Taylor, Rick Findlater

There’s the usual mix of fantasy and period on show here and perhaps The Hobbit may have its best chance of winning here.

No more hairy moments (and hopefully no more terrible puns)… here are the winners.

19.35 – Director Joshua Oppenheimer giving a compelling speech – dedicating the award to the crew and his co-director in Indonesia whose identities are secret.

19.32 – The winner is… The Art of Killing. Incredible film.

Hey! No slouching here – it’s another award.

DOCUMENTARY

THE ACT OF KILLING Joshua Oppenheimer

THE ARMSTRONG LIE Alex Gibney

BLACKFISH Gabriela Cowperthwaite

TIM’S VERMEER Teller, Penn Jillette, Farley Ziegler

WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS Alex Gibney

Perhaps the most interesting category tonight, one in which any of the films could walk away with it.  Each one is highly recommended with Tim’s Vermeer being perhaps the most unknown and so should be on the top of your list. Just on top of the other four.

Go Documentary winner – go!

19.29 – Rush gets the Editing award – Ron Howard is up on stage. Hey Ron!

19.27 – No time for hanging around – let’s have another award shall we?

EDITING

12 YEARS A SLAVE Joe Walker

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Christopher Rouse

GRAVITY Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger

RUSH Dan Hanley, Mike Hill

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET Thelma Schoonmaker

Fingers crossed for Thelma Schoonmaker for her work with Scorsese – there’s much to enjoy there in that film, although Gravity may swing it for it’s adept use of editing to create an incredible tension-filled ride.

Cut the chat – Winner is…

19.24 – Gravity wins the BAFTA for sound. Two for the film so far, let’s hope it’s not a whitewash… Great film though. Top sound.

19.23 – Another award – ears to the ground…

 

SOUND

ALL IS LOST Richard Hymns, Steve Boeddeker, Brandon Proctor, Micah Bloomberg, Gillian Arthur

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith, Chris Munro, Oliver Tarney

GRAVITY Glenn Freemantle, Skip Lievsay, Christopher Benstead, Niv Adiri, Chris Munro

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS Peter F. Kurland, Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff

RUSH Danny Hambrook, Martin Steyer, Stefan Korte, Markus Stemler, Frank Kruse

Whether the claustophobia of Captain Phillips or the sparse sound of Gravity is your bag there’s a lot to enjoy here under this particular umbrella.

Sound off… here’s the winner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

19.22 – Catherine Martin and Beverly Dunn giving us the best speech so far – measured, funny, destined to be cut out of the TV broadcast. Very worthy winners though.

19.21 – The Great Gatsby wins it! Old Sport!

19.19 – Another award – End of the world narrator Richard E. Grant is here:
PRODUCTION DESIGN

12 YEARS A SLAVE Adam Stockhausen, Alice Baker

AMERICAN HUSTLE Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA Howard Cummings

GRAVITY Andy Nicholson, Rosie Goodwin, Joanne Woodlard

THE GREAT GATSBY Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn

This is the first time we’ve seen Steven Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra in the nominee mix tonight, it’s not eligible for awards in the States having premiered on HBO. This is often a very showy category, with a nominee such as The Great Gatsby being a prime example of the opulence which can spin heads.

Who’s dashing up that aisle? Let’s see….

19.18 – Those probably won’t be seen in the Beeb broadcast so watch them now.

Sleeping with the Fishes wins it… here’s a link

 

19.16 – Next award

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

EVERYTHING I CAN SEE FROM HERE Bjorn-Erik Aschim, Friederike Nicolaus, Sam Taylor

I AM TOM MOODY Ainslie Henderson

SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES James Walker, Sarah Woolner, Yousif Al-Khalifa

 

Here it is – worth your time.

 

19.14- Room 8 wins it! One second – I’m getting the Youtube link…

 

19.11  Next award time!

BRITISH SHORT FILM

ISLAND QUEEN Ben Mallaby, Nat Luurtsema

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES Megan Rubens, Michael Pearce, Selina Lim

ORBIT EVER AFTER Chee-Lan Chan, Jamie Stone, Len Rowles

ROOM 8 James W. Griffiths, Sophie Venner

SEA VIEW Anna Duffield, Jane Linfoot

You can find out more about these films, including nationwide screenings here: https://www.bafta.org/film/awards/short-film-short-animation,2338,BA.html

 

 

David Heyman doing most of the thanking there – if only to assuage the haters who are at this moment writing letters to their MPs.

19.08 – The Winner is – Gravity.

Certain to stir up the hornet’s nest of What constitutes a British film.

19.05 – First Award!

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

GRAVITY Alfonso Cuarón, David Heyman, Jonás Cuarón

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM Justin Chadwick, Anant Singh, David M. Thompson, William Nicholson

PHILOMENA Stephen Frears, Gabrielle Tana, Steve Coogan, Tracey Seaward, Jeff Pope

RUSH Ron Howard, Andrew Eaton, Peter Morgan

SAVING MR. BANKS John Lee Hancock, Alison Owen, Ian Collie, Philip Steuer, Kelly Marcel, Sue Smith

THE SELFISH GIANT: Clio Barnard, Tracy O’Riordan

Let the arguments rage about what consistutes a British films but our fingers, thumbs and toes are crossed for Clio Barnard’s film. Philomena is also in with a shout and it would be great to see Stephen Frears walk away with something.

Let’s see whose name is on the card…

19.02 – No awards yet. There’s a reason this isn’t broadcast live you know… (but don’t get me started on that).

19.01 – Tinie Tempah just high-fived the future King of England. That’s your high point… it’s all downhill from here. I hope Prince William joins in on the chorus.

19.00 – Not sure how much of this will make it to the Beeb broadcast but Fry’s gentle ribbing of Emma Thompson is a joy – as is her response. Watch out for that.

18.59 – Now we’re into the audience shout-out jokes which are endemic in these awards ceremony. Fry is killing it though.

18.58 – Lord Stephen Fry is here. Walking out to marvelously inappropriate dance music.

18.55 – Short, sharp speech. Doubt that’s a trend which will continue..

18.50 – Chairman time – John Willis. He’s speaking. He has a very fine voice. He looks and sounds like a Richard Curtis film.

18.49 – It’s starting. An EE advert is playing and the great and good are rifling through their goody bags.

18.40 – Our once and future king has just turned up and garnered the biggest cheer of the night. We’re about twenty minutes from hearing the honeyed tones of Mr. Stephen Fry.

18.17 – Lots of chatter on the carpet tonight that the field is wide open on many of the awards – this is true, and a good thing. There’s nothing worse in awards ceremonies when a pattern develops and each new award comes with a sense of finality rather than excitement.

18.07 – Inside the Opera House it’s a hothouse of chatter and free champagne. Let’s see how that plays out as the evening goes on…

17.55 – Richard E. Grant is being interviewed and is sounding like he should narrate the end of the world.

17.45 – Submarine’s Craig Roberts is on the carpet looking effortlessly cool/wanting to laser-beam the entire collection of paparazzi with his cold stare.

17.40 – We’re hoping that Behind the Candelabra waltzes away with an award or two tonight. Are YOU?

17.24 – People are now arriving on the carpet and there’s a lot of ‘Who are you wearing?’.

16.35 – The arrivals won’t start for another hour or so. And the awards are up at 7.

16.34 – Still nothing.

16:33 – Nothing is happening of note.