FILM director Danny Boyle has claimed his biggest awards ceremony success after cleaning up with seven gongs at the BAFTAs, including best director and best film.
The former Thornleigh Salesian College student was the red hot favourite to scoop a truckload of awards from 11 nominations, and he did not disappoint.
As well as the top awards for best film and best director, his hit movie, Slumdog Millionaire, also won best adapted screenplay, music, cinematography, editing and sound.
The best director award was presented to Danny by former Bolton pupil Sir Ian McKellen.
The BAFTAs triumph crowns an incredible rise to fame for Danny, who grew up in Radcliffe, and is a keen Bury FC fan.
Last night, he beat off competition from some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Clint Eastwood and Ron Howard, to claim some of the most coveted prizes in film.
Critics have compared Danny’s rags-to-riches story with that of Slumdog Millionaire’s protagonist.
He is now set for even bigger success, as Slumdog Millionaire is nominated for 10 Oscars and is favourite to win a raft of top prizes in Los Angeles later this month.
But the best director spared plenty of thought for his humble begginings — finding the time to praise friends and neighbours for helping his father to make sure he could watch the BAFTAs back home in Radcliffe.
He said: “The wiring in my dad’s house blew overnight and it’s a big shout out to everyone who helped him get the extension cable in so he could watch this.”
Then thanking his family, there was a cry of: “I love you dad,” from the audience.
After picking up his award, Danny told The Bolton News: “When you imagine these things you think ‘ah that’ll be a good chance to get revenge on all the people who dissed me’, but actually you don’t think that, you just think about the generosity of all the people that helped you.
“I’m from Manchester, but I live and work in London. My kids are Cockneys, they’re born within the sound of Bow Bells. There is nowhere to go in the end but where you came from, so it’s wonderful to be here.”
Danny’s directorial debut, Shallow Grave, won critical and popular acclaim, but it was Trainspotting that made his name. He went on to further success with The Beach, 28 Days Later, and Sunshine, and has won dozens of minor awards, but has never won any of the industry’s biggest accolades.
Slumdog Millionaire changed that, claiming four Golden Globes before last night’s seven BAFTAs — and is now a favourite to win the biggest prize of all at the Oscars.
There was plenty of praise for the director from colleagues. Christian Colson, collecting best film gong for Slumdog, said: “Danny Boyle dreamed the dream.”
The movie tells the story of an orphan who grows up in the slums of Mumbai, but becomes a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
The film’s young star, Dev Patel, was beaten to the best actor prize by Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler, while Frieda Pinto, who plays love interest Latika, lost out in the best supporting actress category, beaten by Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Slumdog Millionaire got off to a winning start by picking up the first BAFTA of the night, for best music.
As the show opened, host Jonathan Ross told the audience that he was nervous about hosting the night, which he described as “the biggest and most exciting event in the British cinema calendar”.
Kate Winslet claimed the leading actress gong for her role in The Reader.
The late Heath Ledger was named best supporting actor for playing The Joker in The Dark Knight.
julian.thorpe@theboltonnews.co.uk
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