Britain hails its Oscar success

Associated Press

LONDON

The big winners on Oscar night may have been set in the 19th-century American South and outer space, but for many people across the Atlantic, this year’s Academy Awards belonged to Britain.

Best-picture winner “12 Years a Slave” has a British director — Steve McQueen — and star, Chiwetel Ejiofor, who lost out on an acting Oscar to Matthew McConaughey.

“Gravity,” which took seven trophies, starred Americans Sandra Bullock and George Clooney and had a Mexican director, Alfonso Cuaron, but it was made in London, using British special effects teams and post-production facilities.

“It’s very obvious the amazing quality and sophistication of the British film industry made this film happen,” said Cuaron, who won a directing Oscar for the 3-D space thriller.

As usual, British performers made a strong showing in the acting categories, where Judi Dench, for “Philomena” and Sally Hawkins for “Blue Jasmine” were both nominees. But this year also recognized British effects artists, composers — Steven Price took an Oscar for his “Gravity” score — and cinematographers.

British director Malcolm Clarke won the documentary short prize for “The Lady in Number 6,” a profile of musician and Holocaust survivor Alice Herz-Sommer, who died last week at age 110.

The British Film Institute — a government-funded body that distributes millions each year in lottery profits to filmmakers — said the industry was benefiting from “long-term strategic investment in development.”