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MILLENNIUMMOMENTS
MILLENNIUMMOMENTS
SIR MICHAEL CAINE’S RICHLY DESERVED LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT TRIBUTE ON BBC 1 IN DECEMBER BROUGHT A STRONG AWARDS YEAR FOR THE BRITISH ACADEMY TO A FITTING END, WRITES JOHN MORRELL
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Ihe year got off to a triumphant start in April with the Orange British Academy film Awards back home at the heart of British cinema - Leicester Square.
American Beauty, directed by Sam Mendes, took Best Film with East is East chosen as The Best British Film of the Year.
One of the biggest smiles of the night was worn by BAFTA Council member Duncan Kenworthy who received the Orange Audience Award for Notting Hill.
Big smile too for Spanish film- maker Pedro Almodovar who could- n’t believe he had won the David Lean Award for Best Director. Faye Dunaway assured him it was extremely well deserved for All About My Mother.
At the Television Craft Awards in Spring, recorded by LWT and trans- mitted on the ITV Network, Wives And Daughters featured prominently with Lisa Westcott receiving her BAFTA for Hair and Make-up from actress Tamzin Outhwaite.
At the British Academy Television Awards held at the Grosvenor House in May, presenter Des Lynham was not alone in admiring Carol Vorderman’s little cocktail number.
A UK television audience of near- ly nine million enjoyed a star-stud- dedevening atwhichDameThora Hird was voted Best Actress for Lost for Words with Michael Gambon Best Actor for Wives And Daughters.
Charismatic boxing champ, Lennox Lewis received the loudest applause of the night when he arrived to present Graham Norton with the Entertainment Performance BAFTA.
Joanna Lumley and Honor Blackman were back together to
receive an Academy Special Award for The Avengers Ladies. Boy George ran the disco. Radio Times were our generous sponsorship partners.
ITV’s Ant and Dec came top of the children’s charts winning the Lego/BAFTA Kids Vote at the Academy Children’s Film and Television Awards in November.
BBC’s Katy Hill won the Presenter’s Award. BBC Director General Greg Dyke was also at the Hilton event to make a Special Award presentation to veteran producer/entrepreneur Anne Wood. The Children’s Drama BAFTA went to the highly praised Pig Heart Boy.
The Interactive Awards in October, presented by Phill Jupitus was a sell out. A huge achievement in only three years. Sponsors ICL were delighted.
Awards ceremonies organised by BAFTA branches in Wales, Scotland and Los Angeles were also enormously successful. BAFTA LA devoted the entire evening to cele- brating the work of Steven Spielberg. Prince Andrew joined 1000 guests in Hollywood to pre- sent the Academy Trophy.
But in many ways, it was Caine’s year. An Academy Fellowship, then a Knighthood followed by a 60 minute tribute on BBC l.
As Michael Grade’s late grandmoth- er used to say: “Mustn’t grumble!”
And so, back to Leicester Square Odeon. Doesn’t time fly? ■
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