BAFTA

Last weekend on BBC America I watched the Orange British Academy Film Awards, the film faction of the British Acadamy of Film & Television Arts. After watching it I have to really say that I enjoyed it much more than I do the U.S. version – the Academy Awards.

Now we all know first-hand the American penchant for showmanship and theatrics, and this is what disgusts me the most about the Academy Awards. All the idiotic musical numbers, the sucking-up to each other, Billy Crystal acutally thinking he's still current or funny, Whoopi in whiteface…it’s all grown very dull and uninteresting. But like a dolt, I sit through it year after year. It gets so dull that I look forward to the look-back at the industry people who died more than I do the rest of the show.

But the BAFTA folks put on a show that may have seemed boring at times, but really represented with awards shows should be about. GASP, it actually focused on granting awards to the winning nominees! Even better though, they have awards such as: The Alexander Korda Outstaning British Film of the Year named after the highly noted Hungarian born/British made producer and director of such blockbusters as The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) [http://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/alexander-korda_biography.htm]; the Carl Foreman Award for Special Achievement by a British Director, Producer or Writer in their First Feature Film, which is named after the American writer who was blacklisted in the 1950’s and fled to England and continued to establish himself as a highly notable writer of such hits as High Noon (1952) and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) [http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAforeman.htm]. Both of these awards were granted to women too, something uncommon by the U.S. Academy, the latter award to a Black woman, Amma Asante, for her film A Way of Life (see pics below).

In addition, they had an award given to the Best Film of the Year – which was decided by public decision (yes, the common man has a voice), and the Michel Balcon Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema [http://www.britmovie.co.uk/biog/b/001.html], an award granted to someone who is among the least recognized, but highly important aspect of filmmaking. This year it was granted to long time script supervisor Angela Allen, who worked on countless films including maverick John Houston’s films. Check out her stats at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0020265/ For me, recognizing the unsung heroes and heroines of good filmmaking is so crucial. The credits don't stop after the director's name for a reason - everyone on that crew is critically important.

After reading this, you’d think awards weren’t given to actors and directors too, but of course they were. For a complete rundown of the rest, check out the official site: http://www.bafta.org/film/announce.htm