“Three Billboards” dominates Bafta marked by the mobilization of actresses

Published on : 02/18/2018 – 22:48Modified : 02/19/2018 – 08:24

The film “Three Billboards: the panels of vengeance” triumphed, Sunday, February 18, in London, during the Bafta ceremony, the awards for British cinema. Five awards in total, including best film, best screenplay and best actress.

While the film industry has been rocked by several sexual abuse scandals in recent months, the mobilization movements were widely welcomed during the evening.

>> #Metoo: in Hollywood, the fight against sexual violence is invited to the Golden Globes

As a symbol, it is the American actress Frances McDormand, who was crowned best actress. In “Three Billboards, the panels of revenge”, she plays a mother who fights for justice after the murder of her daughter.

“As Martin said [McDonagh, le réalisateur britannique, NDLR], I have a little trouble with deference, “she said after receiving her award.” I stand in solidarity with my wrestling sisters, “she added, referring to the #MeToo campaigns and Time’s Up.

“This film is both hopeful and angry,” said Martin McDonagh. “As we have seen lately, anger is sometimes the only way to be heard and to obtain a change.”

“Dark Hours” also awarded

The twelve-time nominated fantastic film “The Shape of Water” took home three awards, including Best Director for Mexican Guillermo del Toro.

He paid tribute to “English culture”, “a source of inspiration”, and in particular to Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel, “who knew how to do so with so little”, as well as to the author Mary Shelley, mentioning his novel “Frankestein or the Modern Prometheus”.

Already awarded at the Golden Globes of the foreign press in Hollywood, Gary Oldman received for the first time in his career the Bafta for best actor, for his epic incarnation of Winston Chruchill in “The Dark Hours”. He praised the British statesman in his acceptance speech. “In 1940, he knew how to maintain the values ​​of honor, integrity and freedom for this nation and the world,” he said.

The film also won the award for best makeup, a tribute to the physical transformation operated on Gary Oldman, which required no less than four hours of daily work.

British director Ridley Scott received the highest distinction from the British Academy of Cinema, rewarding his entire career.

“A difficult year”

The issue of sexual harassment, which has shaken the film industry in recent months, was addressed from the first minutes of the evening.

“Our industry has had a difficult year. Courageous revelations of sexual harassment and abuse have followed,” admitted Jane Lush, director of the Academy, in her opening speech. She hoped that the current mobilization and the recent publication of a charter would be a “catalyst for lasting change”.

The mistress of ceremonies, actress Joanna Lumley, made the connection between the fight waged by the Suffragettes a century ago to obtain the right to vote and the Time’s Up campaign, seeing in it the same “determination to eradicate the abuses which women are victims “.

Many stars, including Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek or Margot Robbie, had come dressed in black, responding to the call launched as part of the Time’s Up campaign against sexual violence.

During the day, nearly 200 women, including Keira Knightley, Naomie Harris and Jodie Whittaker had published a column and launched a fund to finance information campaigns and support legal actions against harassing behavior.

“In the recent past, we lived in a world where sexual harassment constituted […] an inevitable and painful aspect of a woman’s life, “they write.” We couldn’t talk about it. But in 2018, we wake up to a world ready for change. “

With AFP