Christopher Nolan Wins Best Director At BAFTAs

Christopher Nolan has won the Director BAFTA for his atomic bomb saga 'Oppenheimer'.

The 53-year-old filmmaker - whose movie was nominated for a whopping 13 awards at Sunday's (18.02.24) EE BAFTA Film Awards - won the top prize ahead of Andrew Haigh for 'All of Us Strangers', 'Anatomy of a Fall's Justine Triet, 'The Holdovers' director Alexander Payne, 'Maestro' filmmaker Bradley Cooper and 'The Zone of Interest's Jonathan Glazer.

When Christopher received his award, 'Oppenheimer' was leading the way with five awards, including a Supporting Actor gong for Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr and Da’Vine Joy Randolph also won the Supporting Actor and Actress awards.

Referring to 'Oppenheimer' director Nolan, Downey Jr said: "Recently that dude suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last ditch effort to resurrect my dwindling credibility."

Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the Supporting Actress award for 'The Holdovers' and said: "'Thank you for trusting me with this beautiful character.

"Being able to wear this beautiful gown, standing on the stage in London, is not a responsibility I take lightly."

She also thanked her co-star Paul Giamatti and said she “cries every time” she says his name.

She went on: "I'm proud to call you a friend and thank you for never wavering."

Comedy drama 'American Fiction' won Adapted Screenplay over 'All of Us Strangers', 'Oppenheimer', 'Poor Things' and 'The Zone of Interest'.

American writer and former Gawker journalist Cord Jefferson collected the award.

Prince William attended solo as his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales continues to recuperate at home following a "planned abdominal surgery".

Earlier, French legal drama 'Anatomy Of A Fall' won the Original Screenplay gong and co-writer and director Triet, collected the award.

She said: "The last time I was in London, a woman said to me: 'After I saw your movie I called my ex and told him to see it to understand why I dumped him'. Someone else said 'Did you put a mic in my kitchen?'"

Pointing to her co-writer and partner Arthur Harari, she added: "I would like to make a statement tonight: it's a fiction and we are reasonably fine."