Chloe Zhao, director of “Nomadland” at the Bafta ceremony. – BAFTA / Shutterstock / SIPA
On the way to the prestigious American statuette? Two weeks away from the Oscars, Nomadland by Chloé Zhao triumphed on Sunday at the ceremony for the British cinema awards, the Bafta, which this year wanted to be more diverse.
Hymn to the glory of modern hippies traveling the United States, Nomadland was the great success of an evening broadcast from the Royal Albert Hall in London, without an audience. He collected four awards: best director for Chloé Zhao, best film, best actress for the American Frances McDormand and best photography.
A director in a strong position for the Oscars
Chloé Zhao, only second sacred woman in the best director category, paid tribute to “the nomadic community which has so generously welcomed us into its life, it has shared with us its dreams, its struggles”.
Already crowned at the Golden Globes at the end of February, she now appears in a position of strength for the Oscars, for this cumulates four nominations, a first for a woman.
Anthony Hopkins, crowned best actor
Anthony Hopkins was named Best Actor for his portrayal of an old man falling into dementia in The Father, French director Florian Zeller, who also won the prize for best adapted screenplay.
After the ceremony, the 83-year-old actor, joined in Wales where he is now, told reporters he was “proud” to be part of this “powerful film”. Winning this award “is a bonus,” said this legendary filmmaker who could do it again at the Oscars.
Adapted from the play of the same name, The Father was filmed in England.
“It has been a real honor to work in your country, which is truly a country of theater,” reacted Florian Zeller. “I am French but in my heart I feel English”, he added, speaking in a tuxedo, although in videoconference.
Bukky Bakray, a symbol for diversity
The Bafta for Best Supporting Actress went to South Korean Youn Yuh-jung, 73, for Minari, which tells the story of an American family of South Korean descent seeking a new life in the countryside.
Briton Daniel Kaluuya, 32, received the award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Fred Hampton, young leader of the black revolutionary movement Black Panther, in the film Judas and the Black Messiah.
The “Rising Star” award went to Bukky Bakray for Rocks, which gathered in the honor of a group of teenage girls of various origins and making their first steps in the cinema. She plays a 15-year-old girl abandoned by her mother who tries to get by with her younger brother, supported by her friends.
This is the very first role of this young girl with dual British and Nigerian nationality who had been spotted in her acting class.
Cries of joy rang out at the actress’ home at the announcement. “Thank you, my God, thank you to my parents,” reacted the young girl.
This award is a consolation for this film which had accumulated seven nominations, as many as Nomadland. But his status as an underdog favorite was quite a symbol for awards criticized for their lack of diversity.
“More people like me can live their dreams”
The 2020 nominations did not include any non-white actors in the four main categories and no female director was selected, prompting the organization to add a review round for greater diversity in its selection.
“I love doing what I do and if that means more people like me can live their dreams, I’m very grateful,” said Chinese-born director Chloe Zhao.
Emerald Fennell received the award for Best Original Screenplay for Feminist Thriller Promising young woman, which also won the Bafta for Best British Film.
Ang Lee, honored
The best foreign language film went to Drunk, by the Dane Thomas Vinterberg, the story of an alcohol experiment that beat Wretched by Ladj Ly.
“I kinda suspected that a drink movie would appeal to you Brits,” joked Thomas Vinterberg, whose film is given the favorite for the Foreign Film Oscar.
Director Ang Lee (Reason and Feelings, Tiger and Dragon, The Odyssey of Pi) received the Bafta Academy Fellowship, the highest honor of the Bafta, for his work.