Bafta Awards 2021: Night belongs to 'Nomadland', Bukky Bakray and Emerald Fennell

British Academy of Film proves online ceremony can be entertaining

Director Chloe Zhao accepting the award for Best Film for 'Nomadland' during the 74th annual British Academy Film Awards. EPA

The 74th British Academy Film Awards have wrapped, and proved that an awards ceremony that straddles two continents – with presenters, performers, nominees and winners on both sides of the Atlantic – makes for a compelling watch.

Like many things, the 2021 awards season is like none that have come before it.

With online ceremonies, Zoom acceptance speeches and several venues, film academies around the world have had to adapt to a pandemic-safe approach.

The 2021 Bafta Awards were no different. This show was divided across two nights, with an opening night on April 10 and the main show on April 11.

On the second night, the live ceremony took place at London's Royal Albert Hall, but only hosts Dermot O'Leary and Edith Bowman, and a selection of presenters and performers, attended in person. All of the nominees dialled in remotely.

There were no major video call mishaps, save for a little bit of echo on one or two of the calls.

'Nomadland': the big winner on the night 

The evening belonged to Nomadland. The film went into the ceremony with seven nominations, and took home four of them for Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Leading Actress for Frances McDormand and Best Director for Chloe Zhao.

In the winners' ranking, there was no real second place as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Promising Young Woman and Sound of Metal won two awards a piece, as did Rocks, Soul and The Father.

British Rocks actress Bukky Bakray won the EE Rising Star Award on the night, and reacted with glee when her name was announced.

The overjoyed actress was given hugs from a few family members, before she went on to thank God, her parents and her cast mates, "the Rocks family".

Kidulthood, Bulletproof and Doctor Who star Noel Clarke was recognised for his Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema and the Bafta Academy Fellowship was awarded to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Life of Pi and Sense and Sensibility director, Ang Lee.

A moment of light relief came from Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung, who won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in Minari.

The actress paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, in her speech, before joking that she was honoured that "snobbish" British people had recognised her acting.

Fan favourite Daniel Kaluuya won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Judas and the Black Messiah.

Kaluuya accepted the award from Los Angeles, where he said he was "just here chilling", but paid tribute to "everyone back home" in the UK.

The Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress awards went to Sir Anthony Hopkins for The Father and McDormand for Nomadland. Neither of the actors dialled into the awards show to collect their prizes.

During the main ceremony, Promising Young Woman took home two awards, which were both picked up by Emerald Fennell, who wrote and directed the film.

It was named Outstanding British Film and recognised for having the Best Original Screenplay.

"I am so grateful to every person who made this film, it was a labour of love, certainly," Fennell said in her acceptance speech, before thanking her cast and crew including Carey Mulligan and Bo Burnham.

"It was the greatest thing in my life making this film. I love everyone who made it and I am so grateful to them and to everyone who has watched it and has been so articulate and insightful and amazing about it."

Tribute to Prince Philip 

To start the show, O'Leary and Bowman paid tribute to Prince Philip, who was the first president of the British Film Academy more than 60 years ago.

"The Duke of Edinburgh holds a special place in Bafta history," said Bowman.

Prince Philip was president of the British Film Academy from 1959 until 1965. His grandson, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is the current president, and has held the role since February 2010.
After the Duke of Edinburgh's death, it was announced that Prince William would not attend this year's awards show.

The tributes section led with Prince Philip, too.

The touching montage, remembering the industry stars who have lost their lives in the past year, also paid tribute to Sir Sean Connery, Ennio Morricone, Irrfan Khan, Ben Cross, David Prowse, Chadwick Boseman, Barbara Windsor, Rishi Kapoor, Kirk Douglas and Christopher Plummer.

A split ceremony

A smaller Bafta ceremony also took place on Saturday evening, largely honouring behind-the-scenes work and the craft of filmmaking. In this crop of awards The Present, by Palestinian-British filmmaker Farah Nabulsi, took home the Bafta for Best British Short Film.

The film, which is Nabulsi's directorial debut, tells the story of Yousef, played by Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri, who decides to go with his daughter to buy a gift for his wife on their wedding anniversary. However, the task is made almost impossible because of the challenges of life under occupation.

“Wow, wow, amazing,” Nabulsi said as she accepted the award. “For anyone who has seen The Present, which is now streaming on a worldwide platform …you would know why I dedicate this award to the people of Palestine for whom freedom and equality is long, long overdue.”