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LONDON – Kelly Marcel, the screenwriter of Fifty Shades of Grey and Saving Mr Banks, was among the winners at this year’s Women in Film and TV Awards, the annual British celebration of female endeavors.
Filmmaker Clio Barnard, Call The Midwife executive producer Pippa Harris, actress Sheridan Smith and writer Sally Wainwright were also on the winners’ podium during the afternoon show on Friday.
Marcel picked up this year’s U.K. new talent honor, which was sponsored by FremantleMedia, after exploding in the public eye with her screenplay for Saving Mr. Banks before nabbing the Fifty Shades of Grey writing gig.
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Marcel was among a slew of notable female faces from the British movie and TV industry honored at the 23rd annual WFTV awards in the British capital, once again sponsored by U.K. pay TV giant BSkyB.
The event started with a brief silence in honor of Nelson Mandela who died Thursday night.
Barnard picked up the afternoon’s Cinema Director award, sponsored by Deluxe Digital, for her career’s work, The Arbor and The Selfish Giant — the latter of which won the Label Europa Cinema prize at this year’s Festival de Cannes. The BAFTA-nominated The Arbor was also critically well-received and picked up a British Independent Film Award in 2010.
Harris, who runs Neal Street Productions alongside filmmaker Sam Mendes and theater producer Caro Newling, picked up the producer award, sponsored by postproduction house Envy. Harris is the showrunner by any other name for Call the Midwife, the hit BBC historical drama show and has also produced Starter for Ten, starring James McAvoy, and Halle Berry-fronted Things We Lost in The Fire.
TV and stage star Smith was presented with a best performance award, which was sponsored by makeup giant MAC. Smith is a familiar face on the British small screen, with turns in popular British TV series including cult comedies Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Gavin & Stacey and The Royal Family as well as dramas Mrs. Biggs, a role for which she won a BAFTA TV nod, and Accused.
Wainwright, who has penned some of Britain’s best loved television shows, including Last Tango in Halifax, Scott & Bailey and Unforgiven, was awarded the writing plaudit, sponsored by Technicolor.
Wainwright, Marcel, line producer Rosa Romero who won the film finances project management award and Sheridan Smith were all absent from the ceremony because they are all filming new projects, sending video taped messages of thanks in their place.
Hosted by comedian and presenter Ruby Wax, the raucous annual celebration of female achievement also honored Argentina-born filmmaker, opera director and screenwriter Penny Woolcock with the ITV Studios achievement of the year plaudit.
The EON Lifetime achievement award was presnted to veteran newscaster and BBC stalwart Angela Rippon by Tony Hall, the BBC director general who first worked with the veteran journalist and presenter in 1975, at the lunchtime event held at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Friday.
Here is the full list of winners:
Barclays Business Award
Danielle Lux, managing director, CPL Productions
FremantleMedia U.K. New Talent Award
Kelly Marcel, screenwriter, Saving Mr. Banks and Fifty Shades of Grey
Panalux Craft Award
Julie Ritson, BBC senior broadcast camera journalist
BBC News and Factual Award
Anna Hall, documentary filmmaker
Film Finances Project Management Award
Rosa Romero, line producer, The Inbetweeners Movie
NEP Visions Presenter Award
Mary Beard, University of Cambridge professor and TV presenter
Deluxe Digital Cinema Director Award
Clio Barnard, The Selfish Giant
Creative Skillset Inspirational Woman Award
Ronke Phillips, award-winning ITV News journalist (for her 10-year “Torso in the Thames” investigation)
Technicolor Writing Award
Sally Wainwright, Scott and Bailey
ENVY Producer Award
Pippa Harris, Call The Midwife
MAC Best Performance Award
Sheridan Smith
ITV Studios Achievement of the Year Award
Penny Woolcock, The Principles of Lust
Argonon Contribution to the Medium Award
Penny Eyles, script supervisor, Tamara Drewe, The Queen, Ginger & Rosa, Nanny McPhee
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