Brit Honors to Day-Lewis, Atonement & Coen Brothers

In what many see as a prologue to the Oscars, Atonement was named best film at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards yesterday, and Daniel Day-Lewis won the best actor award for his power performance in There Will Be Blood, reports Variety. In a surprise win French actress Marion Cotillard and her portrayal of chanteuse Edith Piaf beat out Julie Christie for the best actress award.

Joel and Ethan Coen captured best director prize for No Country for Old Men, and Javier Bardem, who plays the movie's sinister killer, won for best supporting actor. First timer Diablo Cody took the best original screenplay award for Juno. Many Hollywood stars attended, making it an unusually glam BAFTA show. (More BAFTA stories.)