LONDON, Feb 12 (AFP) - "The Aviator", a big-budget Hollywood biopic of US billionaire eccentric Howard Hughes, soared Saturday over its rivals at the BAFTAs, Britain's most important film awards, scooping the prize for best film and improving its odds for Oscar success.
The Martin Scorsese film, which came in as the frontrunner with 14 nominations from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, picked up four awards, including one for Australian Cate Blanchett, in her supporting role as Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn.
It also won laurels for make-up and hair as well as for production design.
Its main rival "Vera Drake", another Oscar-nominated drama, won three prizes, including a best director's gong for Briton Mike Leigh.
Imelda Staunton, who plays Vera, a 1950s working-class, back-street abortionist, was honored as best actress. The film also won for costume design.
Accepting their prizes, Blanchett thanked Hepburn, who died in 2003, saying, "I'm sure you're pleased, although you're not able to see this," while Staunton claimed to be thrilled that her portrayal of a dowdy but principled woman had "boosted sales of hair nets and pinnies".
Leigh's drama, which raised some controversy over its subject matter, came into the London awards night with 11 nominations.
The same number of nods was given to "Finding Neverland", about Peter Pan creator J. M. Barrie and directed by Marc Forster, but in a surprise turn the film was totally shut out of the awards.
The BAFTA nominations mirrored closely those given in Los Angeles ahead of the Academy Awards, and sharpened odds that Scorsese would beat out Leigh when their dramas face off, alongside three other nominees, at the February 27 Hollywood event.
Jamie Foxx, massively praised by critics for his portrayal of blind blues musician Ray Charles, won a BAFTA for best actor in "Ray" -- and could do so again at the Oscars.
At both the British film awards and the Academy Awards, Foxx was also nominated for his supporting actor's role in the thriller "Collateral", where he plays a taxi driver under siege by an evil Tom Cruise.
Foxx failed to make the double at the BAFTAs, however. He was beaten out in the best supporting actor category by Britain's Clive Owen, who stars in the drama "Closer".
Foxx was absent for the awards ceremony, and in a message read out by British actress Helen Mirren -- the wife of "Ray" director Taylor Hackford -- he excused himself with an allusion to "Collateral", saying he was "stuck driving a car in LA at gunpoint and I can't get away."
Hollywood stars and British acting greats filled the theater at London's Leicester Square, which was hosted by British actor Stephen Fry.
Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Hughes in "The Aviator", was greeted by fans with ear-piercing screams, while Richard Gere, a presenter, and Clive Owen -- Briton's newest heartthrob -- got a warmly appreciative welcome.
The star-studded guest list also included Scorsese, Angelica Huston, ex-James Bond star Pierce Brosnan and Britain's new "It Girl" Sienna Miller, who showed up without fiance Jude Law.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", a surrealist meditation on erasing people's memories in order to wipe out souvenirs of relationships gone wrong, picked up two BAFTAs -- an original screenplay award for Charlie Kaufman and an award for editing.
Two others Oscar-nominated flicks did well in London: "The Motorcycle Diaries" won for best film not in the English language and film music, and "Sideways" took best adapted screenplay.
Last year the big winner was New Zealander Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", which picked up five prizes including best picture.
02/12/2005 22:19 GMT - AFP