Trainspotting wins big at the Scottish Baftas

Outlander's Sam Heughan arriving for the British Academy Scottish Awards at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow. Picture: PA

The long-awaited sequel to the iconic adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s novel was named best feature film, with Danny Boyle honoured as best director.

Ewen Bremner fought off the challenge of fellow T2 stars Ewan McGregor and Robert Carlyle to be named best film actor for his portrayal of Spud.

In a message read out at the ceremony by screenwriter John Hodge, Bremner said: “To be in the service of the visionaries of this great film is everything I could wish for as an actor. Collaboration is the most beautiful and rewarding aspect of filmmaking in my opinion.

Armando Iannucci. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

“The actors I am nominated with brought out the best in me. They gave me everything I needed to be able to give my best in our scenes together. If the film reached you and spoke to you on any level then I cannot wish for any more than that.”

Andrew Macdonald, producer of the two films, said: “One of the things that makes me feel very happy about making this film 20 years later is what a success it is in Scotland.

“The film made around £18 million at the UK box office, of which 30 per cent was made in Scotland, against the norm of businesses of 8 to 10 per cent. It just shows that if you tell a Scottish story the people really like it here.”

Boyle, who sent his own video message to the ceremony, said: “Thank you to everybody who went to see the movie. The Scottish identity of the film and its predecessor was everything to us in making the film, crewing and obviously at the box office.”

James Cosmo. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Boyle was unable to make the ceremony and his award was collected by former heroin addict Garry Fraser, now a filmmaker, who was offered a job on the film.

Hodge, who also penned the original screenplay of Trainspotting, admitted he had found the process of making the sequel “very draining” – but did not rule out a third.

He said: “I was always really reluctant to do it. I knew the difficult thing was going to be the story. I wanted it to be a very democratic thing and give each of the actors a reason to turn up.

“It felt like going back into our own past. We hadn’t seen each other for such a long time, everyone had got old, the first film had got old.

“I kept trying to put it off but eventually Danny said he had organised for me, him and Andrew to go to Edinburgh for the weekend. He felt we had to do it after 21 years or it would have been too long. It really was a case now or never.

“When everyone went their separate ways I had a terrible sinking feeling. I thought: ‘oh no, now I’ve got to do it. I thought that what Danny and the cast did with the film was fantastic. I don’t know if I would jump back into it again. But on the other hand, Irvine Welsh is relentlessly productive, so who knows?”

Deirdre Mullins, who was named best film actress, was among the female stars to speak out over the wave of allegations of sexual abuse and misogyny which have swept over the industry recently.

Mullins said: “In film and television in the UK there are two male characters for every one female character.

“Our sons and daughters are absorbing hours and hours of narrative telling them that men are more powerful and interesting and woman are the prize at the end. It’s detrimental to society and we need to do something about it.”

Laura Fraser, who was named best TV actress for her role in BBC crime drama The Missing, said: “I really hope it encourages more women and men to speak out. I’m so happy to see that there’s a movement away from victim blaming and victim shaming. I think it’s a really good move away from the dark ages we’ve been in.”

Fellow best TV actress nominee Morven Christie said: “None of it is particularly surprising to me. A spotlight is being shone on this industry because it is very newsworthy. It’s something that, as women, we see in society all around us all the time. It’s something in the culture that needs to start to change..”

The final award of the night was the Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television, which went to Armando Iannucci, presented by Peter Capaldi. The actor, who memorably played Malcolm Tucker in Iannucci’s BBC TV show The Thick Of It, paid tribute to the writer’s contribution to comedy in particular.

MAIN WINNERS

Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television: Armando Iannucci

Outstanding Contribution to Craft (In Memory of Robert McCann): Doug Allan

Actor Film: Ewen Bremner for T2 Trainspotting

Actress Film: Deirdre Mullins for The Dark Mile

Actor Television: Mark Bonnar for Unforgotten

Actress Television: Laura Fraser for The Missing

Feature Film: T2 Trainspotting

Director – Fiction: Danny Boyle for T2 Trainspotting

Director – Factual: Louise Lockwood for Fair Isle: Living On The Edge

Writer Film/Television: Hope Dickson Leach – The Levelling

Entertainment: All Round To Mrs Brown’s

Television Scripted: The Replacement

Current Affairs: Eòrpa Special: Guantanamo Detainees

Single Documentary: Glasgow 1967: The Lisbon Lions

Features & Factual Series: The Council

Specialist Factual: The Marvellous World Of Roald Dahl

Short Film: The Inescapable Arrival Of Lazlo Petushki

Animation: Life Cycles

Game: Stories Untold