Slumdog Millionaire is the UK Regional Critics’ Film of the Year and wins four Richard Attenborough Film Awards in all

Kate Winslet and Mickey Rourke
named Actress and Actor of the Year

Richard Attenborough Film Awards 2009

The prestigious accolade of film of the year went to Slumdog Millionaire, which also won Filmmaker of the year for Danny Boyle and Rising Star for Dev Patel. The voting constituency was staff and freelance arts and entertainment writers, critics and editors in all branches of UK regional media. Many gather regularly at the Cinema Days events held three times a year. Results as follows:

This year, for the first time, the RAFAs expanded to include a separate section of people’s choice awards in addition to the six regional critics’ awards.

There were four people’s choice categories (below), each decided by an online public vote and each run in association with a media partner. The Dark Knight wins in two categories, Mamma Mia! in one, and Dev Patel picks up a second prize. Results as follows:

Filmmaker of the year, Danny Boyle said: "This is a delight and an honour to be recognised for Slumdog Millionaire. My only regret is it doesn’t happen for every film! Love and thanks from everyone involved in Slumdog Millionaire, and a big shout to all our friends at Cinema Days. I would walk across hot coals, and often have, to get to the Cinema Days screenings. It’s brilliant, I love meeting the regional critics as they emerge glassy-eyed from twelve hours of consecutive screenings!"

Dev Patel, star of Slumdog Millionaire, said: "I’m thrilled to have received this special recognition from the UK regional critics. I have been absolutely amazed by the sheer scale and scope of the reaction to this film and I want to thank everyone for their support. I feel truly honoured."

Actress of the year, Kate Winslet has been nominated for both British and US Academy Awards, as well as already winning a Golden Globe and Screen Actors’ Guild Award, for her performance as Hanna Schmitz in The Reader, directed by Stephen Daldry from a screenplay by David Hare.

Kate Winslet said: "I am thrilled to have been honoured by this group of critics whose contribution to the world of cinema throughout the UK is invaluable and which too often goes unrecognised."

Actor of the year, Mickey Rourke’s performance as retired pro, Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler has also attracted global acclaim, including an Academy Award nomination. It is Rourke’s first on-screen appearance since Stormbreaker (2006).

In Bruges was the debut feature film written and directed by Screenwriter of the year, Martin McDonagh. Having won an Oscar in 2006 for his black comedy short, Six Shooter, he wrote the darkly comic original screenplay for In Bruges. Its cast was led by Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes.

British Film of the year, Mamma Mia! is the highest grossing release ever in UK cinemas. A UK-US co-production directed by Phyllida Lloyd on location in Greece and at Pinewood Studios, it stars Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried.

Double RAFA winner, The Dark Knight, directed by Christopher Nolan, is also a UK-US co-production. It stars Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Sir Michael Caine and the late Heath Ledger as The Joker. It was the third most successful film in UK cinemas in 2008 out of 531 new releases, tripling the box-office receipts of its predecessor, Batman Begins (2005).

<<previous page