8 Dec 2003

Gavron Feted at Women in Film and Television Awards

LONDON -- Her feature film debut as the director of "This Little Life" merited Sarah Gavron the new talent award at this year's Women in Film and Television Awards, presented here Friday.

Actor David Morrissey, who appeared in Gavron's film, handed her the award at a reception and luncheon at one of London's top West End hotels. Gavron is currently developing "The Chosen Ones" for BBC Films and thanked the broadcaster for its continuing support.

Director Gurinder Chadha, still glowing from the success of "Bend It Like Beckham," picked up the creative originality award. She is currently shooting "Bride and Prejudice" in India and jetted to London to pick up the award, telling the appreciative audience never to accept the word "no" while explaining how difficult it was to get "Beckham" financed. The movie has since taken in more than $80 million at the global boxoffice.

The awards, which have been running for 13 years, aim to award women working across film and television in all categories.

This year's project management award went to independent producer Anita Overland for her work on Michael Winterbottom's "In This World" and the television series "The Book Group." Controversial British artist Tracey Emin, currently working on a film that Overland is producing, presented the award after throwing away her prepared speech. Emin simply thanked Overland for helping her make a movie.

The biggest pause in the afternoon's proceedings came when actor Colin Firth ("Love Actually") took the stage to dish out an award. After pausing for nearly five minutes until the wolf whistles and shouting died down from the 500-plus female guests, Firth asked if perhaps his fly was down. He introduced Oscar-winning makeup artist Jenny Shircore ("Elizabeth"), who picked up the craft award for her work that most recently included making up Firth to resemble Dutch painter Vermeer in "Girl With a Pearl Earring." 

Shawn Slovo received an award for her screen adaptation of "Captain Corelli's Mandolin," presented to her by her personal friend, the film's director John Madden. Slovo expressed thanks to the audience that she is able to be paid to do what she loves most.

A business award went to Anne Wood, founder and creative director of television production house Ragdoll ("Teletubbies"), and the news and factual award went to Orla Guerin, the BBC's Middle East news correspondent. 

Award organizers also bestowed a posthumous honor on longtime television documentary producer and director Polly Bide, who died in July after a battle with cancer. Her husband, Bill Cran, accepted the award. 

An award was also presented to "Calendar Girls" for the film's international contribution to film and television, filling the stage with cast members Julie Walters, Linda Bassett and Penelope Wilton, members of the Women's Institute -- which plays a central role in the movie -- and the original calendar girls, Trisha Stewart and Angela Barker.

Popular British actress Barbara Windsor was given a lifetime achievement award, presented to her by actor Ross Kemp, who played her son in the popular BBC 1 soap "Eastenders" for years.