Power of The Dog scoops top two honours at the British Academy Film Awards

Dark Western “The Power of the Dog” scooped the top two honors at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday , winning best film and director for Jane Campion, while sci-fi epic “Dune” picked up the most prizes.

New Zealand filmmaker Campion wrapped up a successful weekend for her comeback feature film, after winning the top honors at the Directors Guild of America awards in Beverly Hills the day before.

Based on the 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, the critically-acclaimed movie set on a 1920s Montana ranch marks the return of Oscar winner Campion to feature films since 2009.

“Jane … you are a visionary whose trail blazed through the last 30 years of cinema with stories about the silenced, the under-represented and the misunderstood,” producer Tanya Seghatchian said as she accepted the award on behalf of Campion, who was absent.

Hosted by Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson, this year’s ceremony, known as the BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) returned as a usual glitzy red carpet event at London’s Royal Albert Hall, following a virtual event last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were references to the war in Ukraine, with some nominees wearing ribbons and badges in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag or speaking about the crisis on the red carpet and on stage.

“Dune,” a mammoth adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, had lead nominations with 11 nods, mainly in the creative and technical categories. It won five awards.

“Belfast,” Kenneth Brannagh’s semi-autobiographical black and white comedy drama set at the onset of Northern Ireland’s three decades of conflict, won outstanding British film.

Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake won two awards, including best supporting actress for Ariana DeBose.

Fresh from his win at the Screen Actors Guild awards, Troy Katsur, who is deaf, won supporting actor for “CODA,” a coming-of-age story about the only hearing member of a deaf family.

An absent Will Smith won the leading actor award for playing the father of tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams in “King Richard,” while Joanna Scanlan won leading actress for portraying a widow who discovers her late husband’s devastating secret in “After Love.”