It seems the London Film Critics’ Circle like facebook more than they like the Royal family, as the Film of the Year prize at this year’s awards went to The Social Network.
Jetting back from Monday’s Oscar nominees luncheon in Beverly Hills, the favourite for the Best Actor prize at both the Oscars and this weekend’s BAFTAs, Colin Firth was there to pick up the corresponding award at the BFI Southbank. His film, The King’s Speech took the Best British Film award, and its director Tom Hooper – who wasn’t nominated for Best Director – got the Best British Director Prize.
The best overall director trophy went to The Social Network’s David Fincher. The film’s other awards were for the screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and for Andrew Garfield, who London Critics thought was the Best British Actor in a supporting role. The Best British Actor of the year was Christian Bale, for The Fighter, beating Colin Firth – the Circle’s Best overall actor. The overall Best Actress was Annette Bening, for The Kids Are All Right.
The Best British Actress of the Year award went to Lesley Manville – the only prize for Mike Leigh’s Another Year. The Best British Actress in a Supporting Role was Olivia Williams, for Roman Polanski’s The Ghost. Both actresses beat Helena Bonham Carter in their categories – for The King’s Speech and Alice In Wonderland respectively.
The star of Peter Mullan’s NEDs, Conor McCarren was the young British performer of the year, while the breakthrough British film-maker was Gareth Edwards, for his debut feature Monsters.
The Best Foreign Language film was France’s Of Gods and Men, which failed to make the Oscar short-list, but is up for the corresponding prize at the BAFTAs.
Kristin Scott Thomas – last seen acting in English in the John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy – was presented with an award for her contribution to cinema.