Baftas 2006 - Brokeback Mountain rides high
Story by Jack Foley
ANG Lee’s Brokeback Mountain emerged as the big winner at the Baftas by winning a total of four awards, including best film, best director and best supporting actor.
The ‘gay western’ triumphed ahead of pre-awards night favourite, The Constant Gardener, which disappointingly only took home one of the ten awards it was nominated for.
Brokeback Mountain, meanwhile, seems to be marching unstoppably towards Oscar glory, having secured the night’s top honour, as well as statuettes for Ang Lee (best director), Jake Gyllenhaal (best supporting actor) and Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana (best adapted screenplay).
Its main star, Heath Ledger, did miss out on the best actor award, though, being pipped by Capote’s Philip Seymour Hoffman (who has also won a Golden Globe).
Reese Witherspoon, meanwhile, won the best actress award ahead of British hopefuls Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener) and Dame Judi Dench (Mrs Henderson Presents).
While Thandie Newton was named best supporting actress for her role in Crash, ahead of Brokeback’s Michelle Williams. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was named best British film.
The awards ceremony, held in London’s Odeon Leicester Square on a rainswept Sunday night (February 19, 2006), attracted some big names to the ceremony, several of whom left empty-handed.
Principal among those was George Clooney, who had arrived with the possibility of winning four awards, including best director (Goodnight, and Good Luck) and best supporting actor for both that film and Syriana.
Winners’ delight
Expressing his delight at winning the best director award, Ang Lee said that going into Brokeback Mountain, it had been ‘a small precious film’, but added that it was ‘now a big precious film’.
While his star, Jake Gyllenhaal, told the BBC that it was ‘just a pleasure to be a part of this movie and I can’t even believe I’ve got this for it’.
Wallace & Gromit co-director, Nick Park, was equally chuffed with his prize, stating: “This is just amazing. I was just so delighted to be nominated alongside all the proper films tonight, I never thought I’d be up here.”
Joe Wright, who won the special achievement award of a British director or producer in their first film for his adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, commented: “I’m just delighted. I really thought that because it was a panel vote it might go to people who had gone to war-torn places.”
Other notable winners on the glittering night included Memoirs of a Geisha, which picked up three awards for best soundtrack, composed by John Williams, costume design and cinematography.
While racial drama Crash won two awards – one for Thandie Newton and the other for Paul Haggis, who won the best original screenplay.
The best make-up and hair award went to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, while Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won best production design.
Special prize
British film producer Lord Puttnam received the Bafta fellowship in recognition of his body of work, which includes the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire, The Mission and The Killing Fields.
He received a standing ovation as he received his award from Richard Attenborough and then reduced many people to tears as he touchingly paid tribute to the memory of his late father, who he felt certain would now be proud of his achievements.
His speech also paid special mention to George Clooney, who he credited with being a brave filmmaker that was a shining example to people within the industry.
His involvement with films such as Goodnight, and Good Luck and Syriana had ‘put the lie’ to claims that films couldn’t enlighten and entertain at the same time.
And speaking afterwards, he told the BBC that he felt disappointed the star had missed out on any of the prizes, especially that of best director.
He commented: “He [Clooney] puts his career on the line. He’s been politically committed and has taken big cuts in his salary to make these kinds of films. My hope is that other film-makers will now do that too.”