Sam Mendes film 1917 dominates Baftas 2020 awards

World War One film 1917 was the big winner at the Bafta Film Awards on Sunday, with seven prizes in total, BBC News reports.

The trophies for Sir Sam Mendes's movie included best film, best British film, best director and best cinematography.

Joker won three awards including best actor for Joaquin Phoenix, while Renee Zellweger was named best actress for her portrayal of Judy Garland.

Phoenix took aim at "systemic racism" and "oppression" within the film industry in his acceptance speech.

His words, and those of the Duke of Cambridge later, came in the wake of a diversity row prompted by the all-white line-up of acting nominees.

South Korean film Parasite won two prizes - for original screenplay and film not in the English language.

There were no major upsets or surprise winners, with 1917 unarguably dominating the evening.

"I couldn't be more thrilled," director Sir Sam told BBC News backstage. "There's the personal delight in seeing a story very close to me and my family be developed and enlarged but the massive thing has been audiences going in large numbers.

"None of us knew if an audience would turn up, it wasn't certain at all. It's coincided with awards season and the fact this is still number one in the UK after four weeks, [the awards have] really alerted people to the fact the movie is on, it rarely happens like that."

Sir Sam is the first British winner of best director at the Baftas since Danny Boyle won for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009.