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Brit film Slumdog Millionaire bagged eight trophies at the Brits including best picture, direction, adapted screenplay and cinematography and these awards cement the reputation of Fox Searchlight as a champion of work that Hollywood won’t risk.

The film Slumdog Millionaire is a love story which has successfully combined an artists ambition but the commercial appeal of the film is broad and most can relate to the film, it will cover all genre’s of tastes and has already appealed to many already, and this is reflected by the films wins on the night winning eight Oscars, including the best picture trophy.

The 81st annual Academy Awards marked an amazing outcome for the movie, which was filled with subtitles, scenes of torture and a Bollywood dance sequence, and these wins give the distributor Film Searchlight a amazing reputation which has resulted in it becoming Hollywood’s top advocate of the kind of daring works that movie studios have all but abandoned.

The director of Slumdog was Brit Danny Boyle, and he captured the fictional account of a Mumbai orphan’s surprising winning streak on India’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”, from which he tough upbringing in the Indian slums resulted in him having the experience and knowledge to win the show, which was constantly questioned throughout the process of winning – as he was accused of cheating by the government and tortured to try and get him to admit he was a cheat. 

The film was produced by a British company and the wins for the film have dramatized the global compass reading of contemporary movie production, as other top Oscar winners showed. 

The best supporting actress winner was Spain’s Penelope Cruz for “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”; Australian actor Heath Ledger was posthumously named best supporting actor for “The Dark Knight”; and British star Kate Winslet won best actress for “The Reader.” The only acting winner with a U.S. birth certificate: Sean Penn, who played the title character in “Milk.”

The genre of films has appeared to change recently and the big movie studios are steering clear of highbrow literary dramas, aiming their resources at mass-appeal works including family-friendly animation, superhero stories and established franchises such as James Bond and Harry Potter.

As others have ditched movies that require patient marketing to build grass-roots audience interest — “Slumdog Millionaire” debuted in just 10 theaters last November and didn’t reach its widest national release until last weekend — Fox Searchlight has become Hollywood’s unequaled home for films made outside the normal studio channels, the domestic gross from Slumdog is estimated at $100 million. 

Danny Boyle briefly spoke about the film backstage saying: “It’s a triumph for this kind of film.”

The BAFTA Awards took place on Sunday night, and here you will find everything you need to know about the events of the night! The Leading Actress award was won by Kate Winslet for her fantastic performance in The Reader and Slumdog Millionaire cleaned up at the awards with seven gongs including Best Film.

The night of British triumphs saw Danny Boyle win the Director prize for Slumdog, the rags-to-riches tale set in the slums of Mumbai.

The Orange British Academy Film Awards, one of the most glamorous events in the film calendar, saw A-listers including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Sharon Stone, Penelope Cruz, Daniel Craig, Ron Howard and Michael Sheen brave the downpour to dazzle on the red carpet.

Kate Winslet appeared breathless when speaking in her acceptance speech, saying: “To be given this award at home, this really means a great deal to me. Thank you Bafta, thank you. I want to thank everybody involved in the making of this film. They all know who they are and they all deserve a big fat piece of this.”

Star of Doctor Who and Adulthood Noel Clarke was the people’s choice, taking home the Orange Rising Star Award, voted for by the public. Monty Python star Terry Gilliam was given the Bafta fellowship – the Academy’s highest honour.

Below is a list of other BAFTA awards presented on the special and eventful night - 

Best Film

Slumdog Millionaire

Best British Film
Man On Wire

Best Leading Actor
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler

Best Leading Actress
Kate Winslet – The Reader

Best Supporting Actor
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Director
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Milllionaire

Best Costume design
The Duchess

Best Special Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Make-up and Hair
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button