BAFTA Winners

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) handed out their annual film awards tonight. Due to the time difference, American audience won't see the show until a couple of hours. Oddly enough the show was also tape-delayed in Britain even though the organization itself tweeted the ceremonies as it happen. Oh those, crazy Brits.

The winners are listed below:

Best Film: The Hurt Locker
Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Best Actor: Colin Firth, A Single Man
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, An Education
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious
Best Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker
Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air
Best British Film: Fish Tank
Best Foreign Language Film: A Prophet
Best Animated Film: Up
Best Cinematography: The Hurt Locker
Best Production Design: Avatar
Best Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Best Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Best Makeup & Hair: The Young Victoria
Best Music: Up
Best Sound: The Hurt Locker
Best Special Visual Effects: Avatar
Best Short Film: I Do Air
Best Animated Short: Mother of Many
Best British Debut: Duncan Jones (director), Moon
Orange Rising Star Award: Kristen Stewart

Already the front-runner to win big at the Oscars, The Hurt Locker once again flexed its award season muscle as it dominated the field winning six of its eight nominations including Best Director and Best Picture. Its strong showing here was largely unexpected since it wasn't a British film, but it was the clear favorite over Avatar and British film An Education and only strengthened the certainty of it winning at the Oscars. Both Avatar and An Education had the same number of nominations as The Hurt Locker and at least didn't walk away empty-handed. Mo'Nique and Christoph Waltz continue their award sweep while the leading acting categories had a refreshingly British flair going to Colin Firth and Carey Mulligan. The latter win, or more accurately Meryl Streep's loss here, solidifies Sandra Bullock's win at the Oscars.

All of this is to say that if you bet against The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow, Christoph Waltz, Mo'Nique, Up, Avatar (for Visual Effects), Up in the Air (for Adapted Screenplay), The Young Victoria (for Costume Design), and Sandra Bullock at the Academy Awards, you should be committed. In fact this award season is surprisingly making last year's Slumdog Millionaire-dominated award season look downright nail-biting and unpredictable.