All Quiet On The Western Front has dominated at the Baftas winning seven awards, pulling ahead of The Banshees Of Inisherin which won four.
The Netflix anti-war epic, directed by German filmmaker Edward Berger and based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque, claimed wins in categories including best director, sound and original score.
Taking the final award of the night, for best film, cinematographer James Friend said the message that young people can be “poisoned by right-wing nationalistic propaganda” and “war is more than an adventure” was as relevant now as more than 100 years ago when the book of the same name was published.
Earlier in the evening, Berger hailed the other filmmakers in his category who “inspire” him, and he also paid tribute to those fighting in Ukraine.
He told the audience he was able to get over his “doubt” thanks to his daughter Matilda.
Berger said his daughter Matilda had helped him turned his “doubts into trust” after telling him he had to make the movie of the novel she was reading in school.
German composer Volker Bertelmann said the film had showed him that “humanity, empathy and embracing diversity of human beings and nations” is “the most important in our world” as he won the original score category.
Accepting the award for best adapted screenplay, screenwriter Ian Stokell said the project had been “worth the wait” because its message is anti-war.
Meanwhile, dark comedy The Banshees Of Inisherin has four wins including outstanding British film, best supporting actor and supporting actress for Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon respectively, and original screenplay.
Earlier in the night, Carey Mulligan was incorrectly announced as the winner of the supporting actress award after a translation error while deaf actor Troy Kotsur was presenting.
Oscar-winner Kotsur was delivering the announcement by sign language before a miscommunication resulted in Mulligan’s name being called for her performance in She Said.
The announcer quickly corrected the call and said Condon was the winner.
Taking to the stage, Condon paid tribute to her director McDonagh, adding: “Thank you for all the parts you gave me throughout my career. You make me so proud to be an Irish woman.”
She also thanked the “amazing cast” and her family as well as her horses and dogs.
Event host Richard E Grant joked later that he had a defibrillator for Mulligan after the shock of her name being called and then changed.
It is understood the mistake will not feature in the final broadcast on BBC One, which is airing slightly behind the ceremony.
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse by Charlie Mackesy won the Bafta for best British short animation.
Mackesy praised those involved in the adaptation of his illustrated book and hailed those who strive to be “kind” and “brave” in life.
He also singled out Tom Hollander and Idris Elba who voiced characters in the Apple TV+ and BBC film.
Best costume design went to Catherine Martin for the biopic Elvis, with her husband, the film’s director Baz Luhrmann, accepting in her place.
The Bafta for documentary went to Navalny, while Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio won the Bafta for animated film.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Anya Taylor-Joy presented the outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer to Charlotte Wells for Aftersun.
Tearfully, she thanked the producers, cast and crew and mentioned the earthquake that hit Syria and Turkey, where the movie was filmed.
Wells also said her film was a “eulogy” to her father and added “he’s not here, but my mum is”.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
