'Pianist' Toplines Brit BAFAs

Roman Polanski's "The Pianist," set during World War II against the background of the Nazi occupation of Poland, has scooped two of this year's biggest Orange British Academy Film Awards.

Polanski's film secured the evening's top award, taking BAFA's best film plaudit, while the director snatched the David Lean Award for achievement in direction.

"The Pianist" emerged victorious ahead of "Chicago," "Gangs of New York," "The Hours" and "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers."

Polanski won the director award over Martin Scorsese ("Gangs"), Rob Marshall ("Chicago") and Stephen Daldry ("The Hours"), who were all present Sunday, and Peter Jackson ("Two Towers"), who did not attend.

With Polanski absent from the ceremony, two of his film's producers, Robert Benmussa and Alain Sarde, picked up the awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on his behalf.

Neither producer would be drawn on whether Polanski was making plans to travel to Los Angeles next month for the Academy Awards. Polanski is nominated for best director, and "The Pianist" received seven Oscar nominations.

At a star-spangled ceremony held at the Odeon Leicester Square in the heart of London's West End, Daniel Day-Lewis scooped the evening's best actor award for his role in "Gangs."

Daniel Day-Lewis won the plaudits ahead of attendees Adrien Brody ("The Pianist") and Michael Caine ("The Quiet American"), as well as Nicolas Cage ("Adaptation") and Jack Nicholson ("About Schmidt"), both of whom were not in attendance.

Day-Lewis thanked all his colleagues on both sides of the camera, name-checking both Miramax Films co-chairman Harvey Weinstein and financier Graham King from Initial Entertainment Group. "If I had to point a finger at one man, it would have to be to thank that lovely man Martin Scorsese," he added.

The plaudits for best actress went to Nicole Kidman ("The Hours"), who had wowed the crowds before the ceremony when she took time to sign autographs and chat to the thousands gathered outside the theatre.

Kidman emerged victorious ahead of fellow "The Hours" cast member Meryl Streep, Renee Zellweger ("Chicago"), Salma Hayek ("Frida"), and Halle Berry ("Monster's Ball").

With all the other nominees in the audience, Kidman said she was dividing the award into three, between herself and her "Hours" co-stars Streep and Julianne Moore. She also addressed audience member Weinstein, who Kidman said was "sitting right there with his arms folded."

Backstage, she reiterated her thanks for working with British filmmaking talents. But Kidman refused to be drawn on