'Rings' wins Best Film at the Baftas

10.00am

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King has taken the top award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) awards.

Peter Jackson and producers Fran Walsh and Barrie Osbourne were on hand to accept the award at the ceremony held in London today.

In accepting the top prize, an exultant Jackson honoured the movie's British source in novelist J R R Tolkien.

"We were a bunch of Kiwis and some Australians" who brought to the screen "one of Britain's most beloved books - a fantastic property," Jackson said.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King landed five Baftas, but Peter Jackson missed out on Best Director, that award going to Peter Weir for Master And Commander.

The Return of the King won the awards for Best Cinematography for Andrew Lesnie, Adapted Screenplay, Special effects, Best Film and the Orange Film of the Year which is voted by the general public in Britain. It is the third year in a row a Lord of the Rings film has won the Orange award.

Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson scooped the top acting honours of the night for their roles in the Sofia Coppola-directed film Lost in Translation. They beat off some tough competition from the likes of Sean Penn, Johnny Depp, Uma Thurman and Naomi Watts.

Nineteen-year-old newcomer Johannson had also been nominated for Girl With a Pearl Earring, a rare double in Bafta history.

Renee Zellweger took out the award for Best Supporting actress for the civil war drama Cold Mountain. Best Supporting Actor went to Britain's Bill Nighy for his riotously over-the-top portrayal of an ageing rock star in the hit feel-good comedy Love Actually.

Cold Mountain had led the field with 13 nominations but picked up only two, best supporting actress for Renee Zellweger and an award for best score.

The Return of the King was nominated in 12 categories at the Baftas, one behind Cold Mountain with 13 nominations. The 12 nominations included Best Film, Peter Jackson for Best Director and Sir Ian McKellan for Best Supporting Actor. Peter Jackson headed a 60-strong delegation of 'Rings' stars and crew at the London ceremony.

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is also a hot favourite to take Best Picture at the Oscars, where the film is nominated for 11 awards. The Oscars are due to be handed out on March 1 (NZ time) in Hollywood.

BAFTA WINNERS


BEST FILM

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

Touching the Void

BEST DIRECTOR

Peter Weir, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

BEST ACTOR

Bill Murray, Lost in Translation

BEST ACTRESS

Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Bill Nighy, Love Actually

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Station Agent

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

BEST FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

In This World

BEST MUSIC

Cold Mountain

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

BEST EDITING

Lost in Translation

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

BEST SOUND

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

BEST MAKE-UP AND HAIR

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

BEST SHORT ANIMATION

Jojo in the Stars

BEST SHORT FILM

Brown Paper Bag

ORANGE FILM OF THE YEAR (voted by public)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Special achievement by a British director/producer/writer in their first feature film:

Emily Young, director/writer, Kiss of Life

- HERALD ONLINE STAFF, REUTERS

Herald Feature: Lord of the Rings