"The Artist" wins Britain's top film prize

LONDON (CBS/AP) Silent movie "The Artist" made a loud statement in London this weekend when it walked away with seven prizes, including best picture, at Britain's equivalent of the Oscars.

The British Academy Film Awards on Sunday chose the French homage to old Hollywood over a homegrown favorite, espionage thriller "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy."

Pictures: The BAFTA Awards
Pictures: 'The Artist"
Special Section: Awards season

The British prizes, known as BAFTAs, are considered a strong indicator of likely success at Hollywood's Academy Awards, to be held on Feb. 26.

The trophies give more momentum to "The Artist,"' which has already won three Golden Globes, and has 10 Oscar nominations. It also has won top awards from the Dirctors' Guild, the Producers' Guild and the National Board of Review.

"The Artist," a black-and-white picture that has charmed audiences around the world since its Cannes debut in May, was named best film, and its rubber-limbed star Jean Dujardin took the male acting prize. Its filmmaker, Michel Hazanavicius, won prizes for directing and his original screenplay.

Dujardin said it was "incroyable" (incredible) to win a prize in the homeland of acting titan Laurence Olivier, William Webb Ellis the inventor of rugby "and Benny Hill."

Hazanavicius thanked presenter Brad Pitt for pronouncing his name correctly and academy voters for recognizing that his silent film even had a screenplay.

"So many people thought there was no script because there was no dialogue," he said.

Another homage to early cinema, Martin Scorsese's Parisian fantasy "Hugo," took prizes for sound and production design.

John le Carre's adaptation, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," went into the ceremony with 11 nominations compared to 12 for "The Artist," but won just two prizes, for British film and for adapted screenplay.

As predicted, Meryl Streep was named best actress for her depiction of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female prime minister, in "The Iron Lady." The film also won a well-deserved prize for hair and makeup.

"The ambition of this film was to look at the life of the Iron Lady from the inside out, and to locate something real maybe hidden but truthful in the life of someone we've all decided we know everything about already," Streep said.

The supporting actor prize went to Christopher Plummer, as an academic who makes a new start late in life in "Beginners." Octavia Spencer was named best supporting actress for her turn as a fiery maid in Deep South drama "The Help."

George Clooney, Pitt, Jessica Chastain, Penelope Cruz, Colin Firth and Judi Dench were among the stars who braved the London cold and bouts of sleet to walk the red carpet before a televised ceremony, hosted by comedian, writer and actor Stephen Fry, at the Royal Opera House.

Many of the frocks were in muted or pastel tones, though "The Help" star Viola Davis, a best-actress nominee, arrived in a pink Valentino "eco gown" made from recycled plastic bottles.

Presenting the award for special effects, Cuba Gooding Jr. paid tribute to singer Whitney Houston, who was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel on Saturday.

"Whitney, I will always love you," he said a reference to one of her best-known songs.

The effects prize went to "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2," the final film in the magical franchise and the top-grossing British movie of the year.

Actor-turned-director Paddy Considine and producer Diarmid Scrimshaw took the best British debut prize for the wrenching domestic drama "Tyrannosaur."

"Kidulthood" actor Adam Deacon won the rising star prize, the only category selected by public vote.

"Senna," a portrait of the short, sensational life of race car driver Ayrton Senna, was named best documentary and also won the editing prize.