Gravity sweeps 6 Bafta prizes

American film Gravity on Sunday evening became the biggest winner at the 67th British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (Bafta), scooping six trophies in total. Filmed in Britain, the lost-in-space thriller won the award for Outstanding British Film, while director Alfonso Cuaron was also awarded as the Bafta Director. It also won the awards for Cinematography, Original Film Music, Sound and Special Visual Effects. Gravity tells about two astronauts' arduous efforts of returning back to the earth after the space station exploded during a space mission. Also with 10 nominations, 12 Years A Slave won the best film of Bafta. Directed by Steve McQueen, the film presents a true story of Solomon Northrup, a free black man who was forced into slavery in a cotton plantation in the 19th-century U.S. South. Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Solomon in the film, won the Best Actor. While the Best Actress went to Australian actress Cate Blanchett for her performance in Blue Jasmine. Crime film American Hustle picked up three awards of Original Screenplay, Make-up and Hair and Supporting Actress, gotten by Jennifer Lawrence. Trophies for Costume Design and the Production Design were bagged by The Great Gatsby. Coming two weeks before Hollywood Oscars, the Bafta Awards are taken as the top honor in the British film field, and an indicator of likely Academy Awards.