BAFTAs 2018: Hollywood stars continue Time's Up movement

Off-shoulder, sheer panels, and floral embellishment - trust the industry's women to play up black with their sartorial sensibilities. Jennifer Lawrence, Salma Hayek, Lupita Nyong'o Saoirse Ronan and Angelina Jolie make heads turn. Pics/AFP

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the blistering comedy about injustice meted out to a woman in small-town America, fittingly took the major honours at a ceremony that took a stand against injustice meted out to women.

The 71st British Academy Film Awards held on Sunday night at London's The Royal Albert Hall was a chip of the recently concluded Golden Globes, with celebrities slipping into black to mark their support for the Time's Up movement, which attempts to speak out against sexual harassment in the industry.

Three Billboards took home five awards, leaving behind Oscar front-runner The Shape Of Water - which led with 12 nominations - to bag a mere three. Gary Oldman became the only English actor to bag an acting title, the Best Actor Award, for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.

The only prize decided by the public, the EE Rising Star Award, went to British actor Daniel Kaluuya. The BAFTA fellowship went to director Sir Ridley Scott. It was the first ceremony presented by Joanna Lumley, who succeeded Stephen Fry.

(From left) Peter Czernin, Martin McDonagh and Graham Broadbent pose with their awards for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

In no mood for black?
Virtually all women at the ceremony wore black except for the Duchess of Cambridge, who donned green. While some pointed out that Kate Middleton's position prevented her from making a political statement, others argued that supporting women against harassment was far from political.

Protests at the do
Activist group Sisters Uncut stormed the show in protest of the government's domestic violence policies. Wearing t-shirts reading "Time's Up, Theresa", they linked arms and lay down on the red carpet for several minutes before the cops arrived.

Winners' list
Best Actress: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Actor: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Best film: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Original Screenplay: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Supporting Actress: Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Best Supporting Actor: Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best Director: Guillermo del Toro, The Shape Of Water
Best Animated Film: Coco
Best Original Music: The Shape Of Water

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