'The Shape of Water,' 'Blade Runner 2049,' and 'Coco' among speculative fiction winners at the BAFTA Awards

I told my readers to "Stay tuned for winners of the BAFTA Awards" in the conclusion to 'Black Panther' rules the Presidents Day weekend box office and Billboard 200.  Four speculative fiction films won awards, "The Shape of Water" and "Blade Runner 2049" with two each while "Coco" and "Poles Apart" each won one.  In addition, Daniel Kaluuya, the star of "Get Out," won Rising Star and Ridley Scott, producer and director of many speculative fiction films earned a fellowship.

While "The Shape of Water" came into the ceremony with twelve nominations, the most of any movie, it only came away with three trophies, Director for Guillermo Del Toro, Original Music for Alexandre Desplat, and Production Design for Paul Austerberry, Jeff Melvin, and Shane Vieau.  It lost Best Film, Leading Actress, and Original Screenplay to "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," which also won Supporting Actor and Best British Film for a total of five, the most of any film at the BAFTA Awards.  Still, "The Shape of Water" did better than "Arrival," which was the most nominated film last year but only earned one award.

Enough of that.  Watch as Guillermo del Toro wins Director for The Shape of Water.

Guillermo del Toro's acceptance speech for The Shape of Water.

I think Del Toro is easily the favorite for this award at the Oscars.

Next, The Shape of Water wins Original Music.

Alexandre Desplat accepts the Original Music award for The Shape of Water.

I also think Desplat is the overwhelming favorite at the Oscars.

Finally, The Shape of Water wins Production Design.

Paul Austerberry, Jeff Melvin and Shane Vieau accept the Production Design award for their work on The Shape of Water.

While it beat "Blade Runner 2049" here, I'm still not saying it is the overwhelming favorite, as both won .  Speaking of "Blade Runner 2049," follow over the jump for its two wins along with the rest of the speculative fiction winners.


As the preview image above says, Blade Runner 2049 wins Special Visual Effects award.

Richard P. Hoover, Paul Lambert, Gerd Nefzer, John Nelson accept the Special Visual Effects award for their work on Blade Runner 2049.

Maybe I was premature in declaring "Hail Caesar" after "War for the Planet of the Apes" won at the Visual Effects Society Awards.  "Blade Runner 2049" is its biggest competition.

"Blade Runner 2049" also won for Cinematography.  Watch Roger Deakins win that award, even if he's not the one to accept it.

Denis Villeneuve accepts the Cinematography award on Roger Deakins' behalf for his work in Blade Runner 2049.

Ridley Scott's name was mentioned as an inspiration by people accepting both trophies, so here he is accepting a BAFTA Fellowship.

Sir Ridley Scott's acceptance speech for BAFTA highest honour.

As File 770 noted, "Sir Ridley Scott has never won a competitive Bafta but got his third honorary award with the Bafta Fellowship (he got a “special award” in 1992 and an “outstanding contribution” in 1995)."

While "Get Out" didn't win, the next best thing happened as Daniel Kaluuya wins the EE Rising Star Award.

Daniel Kaluuya accepts the EE Rising Star award.

Now for the first of two awards for animation as Coco wins Animated Film.

Lee Unkrich accepts the award for Animated Film.

For the final award, Poles Apart wins British Short Animation.

Paloma Baeza collects the award for British Short Animation for Poles Apart.

That's it for this year's BAFTA Awards.  Stay tuned for the winners of the MPSE Golden Reel Awards and the Costume Designers Guild Awards, followed by the nominees of the Makeup and Hair Stylists Guild Awards.  This busy week of film awards is not yet over.