‘Boyhood’ wins best film, but BAFTAs are dominated by ‘The Theory of Everything’

The American coming-of-age tale “Boyhood”, filmed over 12 years, won the BAFTA award for best film, but the British awards ceremony was dominated by the Stephen Hawking biopic “The Theory of Everything”.

Eddie Redmayne picked up the best actor gong for playing theoretical physicist and motor neurone disease sufferer Hawking, who himself attended the glitzy London film event. The biopic also won best British film and best screenplay adaptation.

British star Redmayne, who is hotly tipped for Oscar glory later this month after already winning a Golden Globe, thanked Hawking and his family “for reminding me of the great strength that comes from the will to live a full and passionate life”.

“Our dream as actors is to tell interesting stories about interesting people and they don’t come more interesting than this,” he said.

On the red carpet, Redmayne said he had been “galvanised” by the hope that the film would raise awareness of Hawking’s condition and had been to a clinic for four months to prepare for the role.