It was a Sally Field experience for Slumdog Millionaire at this year's Bafta film awards (February 8) as Danny Boyle and his team discovered the British Academy really, really liked their film. Seven awards from 11 nominations, including best film, made it the top dog of the evening and it would be an extremely rash individual who would bet against its fairy-tale journey ending in triumph at the Oscars later this month.

The awards offered little in the way of surprises or shocks, but the slick production, some inspired presenters, a strong celebrity contingent and a warm, family feel to the ceremony helped to create one of the better Bafta ceremonies of recent years despite the rain-sodden London evening that greeted the red carpet arrivals at the Royal Opera House. The prizes themselves might have been predictable but rather than creating a mood of dull anti-climax there was a sense of justice having been done as Penelope Cruz was named best supporting actress for Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Kate Winslet accepted her best actress statuette for The Reader.

Ross' return and Rourke's resurgence

In his third stint as host, UK television personality Jonathan Ross batted mild-mannered quips about Christian Bale's meltdown and Pierce Brosnan's singing talent at the crowd but kept the spotlight on the films. His recent notoriety and three-month broadcasting ban was acknowledged with a jocular, throwaway remark in response to an acceptance speech from best actor Mickey Rourke that was generously laced with expletives.

Rourke's speech was one of the highlights of an evening that saw a rousing reception for best film presenter Mick Jagger and a carefully maintained balance of presenters between the imported Hollywood glamour of Sharon Stone, Goldie Hawn and Amy Adams and the home-grown international allure of Daniel Craig, James McAvoy and Thandie Newton. The awards for Slumdog Millionaire confirmed the film was as irresistible to the Academy voters as it has been to audiences around the world, although it inevitably meant many high-profile titles - including Milk, Changeling, Frost/Nixon and Mamma Mia! The Movie - were left out in the cold. It was a testimony to the profile of the event that such a high number of unsuccessful international nominees were present, including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Robert Downey Jr, Ron Howard and Marisa Tomei. Those who didn't attend, such as Clint Eastwood and Sean Penn, may have wisely decided this wasn't going to be their year.

It was a good night for UK talent with Slumdog leading the way but awards also for a kilt-wearing Steve McQueen (who scooped the Carl Foreman award for special achievement with a first feature film for Hunger), Noel Clarke (Orange rising star), The Duchess (best costume design) and the Michael Balcon award for outstanding British contribution to cinema shared between Pinewood and Shepperton Studios. It is when an award honours such a vital piece of British film-making history that the absence of Lord Attenborough was so keenly felt. The Bafta president is recovering from a recent fall.

The Korda award for outstanding British film to Man On Wire may be key to the growing case for a category to honour documentaries, which will inevitably be part of the post mortem following a successful evening. The triumph of Slumdog Millionaire helped to make that evening a celebration of an industry in which dreams do come true. The sentiment can't have been lost on Terry Gilliam, who received the only standing ovation of the night when he accepted the Bafta fellowship.

Back in 1983 Gilliam was a Bafta nominee for best short film for The Crimson Permanent Assurance but he has not been nominated since despite a career that includes Brazil (1985), The Fisher King (1991) and Twelve Monkeys (1995). Being ignored for a quarter of a century then being presented with the fellowship is a scenario that will give hope to all the film-makers who left the evening empty-handed.

2009 ORANGE BRITISH ACADEMY FILM AWARDS WINNERS

BEST FILM

Slumdog Millionaire

Christian Colson

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

Man On Wire

Simon Chinn, James Marsh

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD

Steve McQueen

Writer-director of Hunger

DIRECTOR

Slumdog Millionaire

Danny Boyle

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

In Bruges

Martin McDonagh

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Slumdog Millionaire

Simon Beaufoy

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

I've Loved You So Long

Yves Marmion, Philippe Claudel

ANIMATED FILM

Wall-E

Andrew Stanton

LEADING ACTOR

Mickey Rourke

The Wrestler

LEADING ACTRESS

Kate Winslet

The Reader

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Heath Ledger

The Dark Knight

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Penelope Cruz

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

MUSIC

Slumdog Millionaire

AR Rahman

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Slumdog Millionaire

Anthony Dod Mantle

EDITING

Slumdog Millionaire

Chris Dickens

PRODUCTION DESIGN

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Donald Graham Burt, Victor J Zolfo

COSTUME DESIGN

The Duchess

Michael O'Connor

SOUND

Slumdog Millionaire

Glenn Freemantle, Resul Pookutty, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Eric Barba, Craig Barron, Nathan McGuinness, Edson Williams

MAKE UP & HAIR

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Jean Black, Colleen Callaghan

SHORT ANIMATION

Wallace And Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf And Death

Steve Pegram, Nick Park, Bob Baker

SHORT FILM

September

Stewart le Marechal, Esther May Campbell

ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD

Noel Clarke

OUTSTANDING BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA

Pinewood Studios and Shepperton Studios

ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP

Terry Gilliam.