London: he Personal History of David Copperfield, starring Dev Patel in the lead role, had 3 guaranteed wins ahead of the ceremony in London: costume, design and casting.
Patel said Iannucci's Copperfield resonated with him deeply.
"It's spectacular and it is so bold. And it kind of for me, presents a Britain that I grew up in," said Patel.
Iannucci said he had "taken a punt" at making it, because it was quite different from his usual fare.
"I don't normally do costume drama, and I wanted to make it feel contemporary without being tricksy. It is very much set in the 1840s but the audience should connect with the cast and their behavior and it should feel like you're living their lives, and their lives are happening right in front of you," said the director. "I'm glad that we've reached this stage where people seem happy with it."
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Also on the red carpet was director Céline Sciamma who was nominated for her movie "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," a film which has caused ripples everywhere it has screened. The director joked that she is just excited about the film being released as everyone else, adding that she is aiming for a Valentine's Day release in the U.K.
Nominated for best actor was Kris Hitchen, star of Ken Loach's Sorry We Missed You. Hitchen explained the narrative of the movie:
"'It is about a delivery driver and his family in modern day England, trying to earn some money to try and get their own property because they're living in rented accommodation. And it is all about working through the gig economy, zero hour and how it affects them and how it affects the children as well, more importantly. And it's a common story for a lot of people in the U.K. at the moment," said the actor. "And obviously with Ken Loach being the director, it's a really upsetting drama to watch, but it's honest, and it's truthful and it's genuine."
With inputs from APTN
