Two of the strongest Oscar contenders for Best Picture had limited success on this side of the pond.
Advertisement
The outdoor epic was named best film, while Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu received the best director gong.
The American, who is hoping to land his first Oscar later this month, said on stage: “I’m absolutely honoured by this award tonight”.
In the film DiCaprio portrays fur-trapper Hugh Glass, who after being attacked by a bear, is left for dead by his companions during an 1820s expedition.
“The more I thought about it, the more I saw it as a universal story because everybody leaves home, even if they’re not changing countries or continents, and then your relationship with it changes forever”, she said.
Brie Larson won the best actress Bafta for her poignant portrayal of a woman kidnapped and kept in a small room with her child in “Room”.
Eddie Redmayne, who is in the running for Best Actor for his role as transgender pioneer Lili Elbe in The Danish Girl, said his rival nominee Leonardo DiCaprio was “an incredible guy”.
Mark Rylance won in the best supporting actor category for his role of a Russian spy in Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies”.
The Bafta ceremony was hosted by Stephen Fry in his 11 year at the helm, and took place in the Royal Opera House.
Fassbender is up against favourite DiCaprio and Winslet said: “It’s a rubbish year to be nominated in the best actor category”.
While Irish emigrant saga Brooklyn has been named best British picture, our Cate Blanchett looked every inch the regal “goddess”, according to style commentators, wearing a colourful sequin and feather trimmed Alexander McQueen gown.
Joseph L Mankiewicz and John Ford have won back-to-back Oscars as best directors but no director has achieved this with the best film award.
And Best short film went to “Operator”, a pic funded by Kickstarter and helmed by Caroline Bartleet while best short animation went to “Edmond”.
Advertisement
Meanwhile George Miller’s visually stunning post-apocalyptic action film “Mad Max: Fury Road” cleaned up with four technical awards, including for the scrappy-punk costumes of its warring tribes.
