On the evening of February 2, 2020, the best national and international movies and cinematic performances were honoured at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The 72nd British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, was dominated by Sam Mendes’s ‘1917’. Amidst all the controversy that all 18 acting nominees were white and no female directors were nominated for the seventh year in a row. Among many celebrities, the Duke of Cambridge also spoke against the lack of diversity in the awards’ nominations.
The World War I war drama ‘1917’ won a total of six accolades which included that of the best film and best director. Winners included actors such as ‘Joker’s’ Joaquin Phoenix, Brad Pitt, who won for his role in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood’, and Renée Zellweger, who won for her role of Judy Garland in ‘Judy’. Laura Dern was named best supporting actress for her performance as a divorce lawyer in Marriage Story.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also attended the ceremony as Prince William is also the President of BAFTA. “In 2020, and not for the first time in the last few years, we find ourselves talking again about the need to do more to ensure diversity in the sector and in the awards process. That simply cannot be right in this day and age,” William said.
