[imagesource: YouTube / BAFTA]

Usually, I wouldn’t be too fussed about who won what at the BAFTAs, but this year we had a hometown favourite to root for.

My Octopus Teacher, which is also in the running for an Oscar, was one of five films nominated in the Documentary category, and judging by the reaction above, the team didn’t think they were going to claim the top prize.

But they did, and it was a special moment to witness the unbridled joy that followed the moment they heard the BAFTA was theirs.

Director Pippa Ehrlich was front and centre, with James Reed currently in Uganda.

Here’s an emotional team reacting to the great news. Skip ahead to the 20-second mark to jump right in:

My Octopus Teacher triumphed over Collective, David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, The Dissident, and The Social Dilemma.

Imagine making a documentary that beats out David Attenborough? Stoked.

Later on in the evening, having had a chance to let it somewhat sink in, Ehrlich spoke again about what making the doccie meant to all of those involved:

Right, let’s get the rest of the winners sorted.

Via NME, here are the headline categories and winners:

Best Film

The Father
The Mauritanian
Nomadland – winner
Promising Young Woman
The Trial Of The Chicago 7

Outstanding British Film

Calm With Horses
The Dig
The Father
His House
Limbo
The Mauritanian
Mogul Mowgli
Promising Young Woman – winner
Rocks
Saint Maud

Leading Actress

Bukky Bakray (Rocks)
Radha Blank (The 40-Year-Old Version)
Vanessa Kirby (Pieces Of A Woman)
Frances McDormand (Nomadland) – winner
Wunmi Mosaku (His House)
Alfre Woodard (Clemency)

Leading Actor

Riz Ahmed (Sound Of Metal)
Anthony Hopkins (The Father) – winner
Adarsh Gourav (The White Tiger)
Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round)
Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian)
Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)

Supporting Actress

Niamh Algar (Calm With Horses)
Kosar Ali (Rocks)
Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm)
Dominique Fishback (Judas And The Black Messiah)
Ashley Madekwe (County Lines)
Yuh-Jung Youn (Minari) – winner

Supporting Actor

Daniel Kaluuya (Judas And The Black Messiah) – winner
Barry Keoghan (Calm With Horses)
Alan Kim (Minari)
Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night In Miami…)
Clarke Peters (Da 5 Bloods)
Paul Raci (Sound Of Metal)

Director

Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round)
Shannon Murphy (Babyteeth)
Lee Isaac Chung (Minari)
Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) – winner
Jasmila Žbanić (Quo Vadis, Aida?)
Sarah Gavron (Rocks)

Animated Film

Onward
Soul – winner
Wolfwalkers

That’s the big ones out of the way, and you can see the full list of winners here.

Attention now turns towards the Oscars, which take place on Sunday, April 25 (or early Monday morning here in South Africa).

My Octopus Teacher is one of five nominees for Best Documentary Feature, and I’d say it’s worth preparing a victory speech, because you just never know…

[source:nme]