It’s been a busy old year at the box office. Alice has been to Wonderland, Nanny McPhee returned with a bang, the toys told their story in 3D, Scott Pilgrim went up against the world, some schmucks got together for dinner, and people networked socially.
With so many films to pick from it can’t have been easy for the UK’s regional film critics to choose their highlights of 2010. But choose they did, and the results of the Richard Attenborough Film Awards are in!
The RAFAs – the UK’s regional film awards – are made up of 14 categories, half of which are voted for by film critics, with the other half decided by the public.
Each winner receives a RAFA award, remodelled for 2010 and engraved with Attenborough’s signature.
2010's Richard Attenborough Film Award
***And the winners voted for by the UK’s regional film critics are…
Film of the year: The Social Network
Filmmaker of the year: Christopher Nolan – director, Inception
Screenwriter of the year: Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network
Actor of the year: Colin Firth – The King’s Speech
Actress of the year: Noomi Rapace –The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and the Millennium trilogy)
Rising Star of the year: Chloe Moretz – Kick-Ass, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Let Me In
All Time Legend: Sir Michael Caine
***And the winners decided by public online vote are…
British Film of the year – in association with The Alan Titchmarsh Show (ITV1): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Film Star of 2010 – in association with Newsquest Group: Angelina Jolie – Salt
Animated Film of the year – in association with HMV: Toy Story 3
Breakthrough Star of the year – in association with HMV: Chloe Moretz – Kick-Ass
3D Film of the year – in association with Cineworld Cinemas: Toy Story 3
Top Film Character of the year – in association with MoviePreviewguide.com: Edward Cullen – The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Family Film of the year – in association with The Birmingham Mail: Toy Story 3
Colin Firth, Actor of the year for The King’s Speech, said: “I am delighted to receive the Richard Attenborough Film Award for Best Actor and to be recognised by the regional media in the UK.”
Firth’s already won Best Actor for his performance in The King’s Speech at this year’s British Independent Film Awards (BIFAs). The film – now gathering huge BAFTA and Oscar potential – won five BIFAs in total on 5 December.
Richard Attenborough won the first All Time Legend award in 2009
Chloe Moretz, winner of the newcomer awards in both the regional critics’ and public vote categories, said: “I am so thrilled and humbled to have been thought of, much less win such an award when I am still very young. Thank you to all who voted and I hope that in the years to come I am able to portray characters that will continue to entertain audiences.”
Atlanta-born Moretz, 13, has appeared in more than a dozen films since her screen debut in 2004. She has been in the UK recently shooting Hugo Cabret for Martin Scorsese.
Veteran film star Michael Caine won All Time Legend, voted for by regional journalists. In the last year alone, he has appeared in both Inception and Harry Brown, and has published a volume of autobiography, The Elephant to Hollywood. The special achievement award was inaugurated in 2009 when it was won by none other than Richard Attenborough himself.
Attenborough said: “The last year has shown the cinema to be both resilient and innovative, with large audiences eager to enjoy the unique theatrical experience. It has also brought a superb crop of terrific films with compelling performances from both experienced and fresh talents. I offer my warmest congratulations to this admirable set of winners.”
