Bafta awards:When the winners of the British Academy of Film and Television Awards were announced last night there were quite a few unhappy faces among the British and Irish nominees, writes Donald Clarke
Atonement, Joe Wright's subtle adaptation of Ian McEwan's admired novel, had been nominated for a record 14 Baftas, but, though it did win the coveted best film award, the British movie only picked up one further gong (for production design) all evening.
Somewhat against the odds,
La Vie En Rose, a French drama that follows the life of Edith Piaf, led the field with four wins, including a best actress award for Marion Cotillard.
Among those disappointed in Team Atonement was young Saoirse Ronan, from Carlow, who had been nominated for best supporting actress, and Armagh's Séamus McGarvey, short-listed for best cinematography.
Somehow, Atonement, despite being deemed best film overall, even managed to lose the best British film award.
That prize went to Shane Meadows's excellent skinhead drama This is England.
As events progressed in London's Royal Opera House, where Jonathan Ross presided with characteristic suavity, it became clear that the awards were being scattered across an unusually wide selection of films.
Joel and Ethan Coen, the veteran directors of such classics as Blood Simple and Miller's Crossing, jointly picked up best director for their chilling contemporary western No Country for Old Men.
Tilda Swinton carried off the best supporting actress prize for conspiracy thriller Michael Clayton and Javier Bardem won best supporting actor for No Country for Old Men.
Screenwriting awards went to the acerbic comedy Juno and to Julian Schnabel's moving drama The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
When last month's Golden Globes were cancelled as a result of the strike action by the Writers Guild of America, it became clear that an unusual amount of media attention would come the way of this year's Baftas.
Indeed, as the British awards loomed and the dispute over royalties paid on internet broadcast and DVD sales continued, it still seemed possible that the mighty Oscars themselves might be cancelled.
This could have been the last chance the glitterati got to don their posh suits and frocks.
As it happened, news came in as the stars were making their way up the red carpet that the American writers were expected to accept a deal to end the strike.
This is particularly good news for Daniel Day-Lewis, who, after winning the best actor Bafta for Paul Thomas Anderson's extraordinary There Will be Blood, now finds himself confirmed as favourite to pick up the Academy Award later this month. Day-Lewis's triumph went some way toward cheering up both the Irish and British contingents. Born in London, the son of a poet laureate, he now lives in Wicklow and carries an Irish passport.
Still, it wasn't a great night for the home side or their neighbours across the Irish Sea.