Baftas 2016: Leonardo DiCaprio celebrates first Bafta win as The Revenant sweeps the boards

It was Leonardo DiCaprio's night at the EE Bafta awards as The Revenant swept the boards at the prestigious British awards. While the Hollywood star walked away with the coveted Best Actor award for his performance in The Revenant, the film also took the top prizes in all the major categories including best picture, best director for Alejandro González Iñárritu, best sound and best cinematography.

Nominated three times before for The Aviator, The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street, the award marked DiCaprio first ever Bafta win.

Accepting the award from Tom Cruise, in an impassioned speech DiCaprio said he was "absolutely humbled and honoured by the award". The actor who is also hotly tipped to win his first Oscar for the film, said he had been hugely influenced by British actors including Tom Courtenay, Gary Oldman, Peter O'Toole and Daniel Day Lewis.

Thanking co-star British actor Tom Hardy he said: "I want to thank you for your fierce loyalty as a collaborator and as friend. I could not have done this journey without you."

After expressing his gratitude to his fellow cast members and crew he saved his biggest acknowledgment for his mother. "There's one person I have to thank," he said. "I didn't grow up in a life of privilege. I lived in a rough neighbourhood and this woman drove me three hours to get me to a different school. Mum happy birthday I love you very much."

DiCaprio's night started off well as, in honour of Valentine's Day the Kiss Cam was aimed directly at the 41-year-old and 81-year-old Harry Potter actress Dame Maggie Smith. The Titanic star gamely planted a kiss on the cheek of the actress.

It was also a good night for DiCaprio's Titanic co-star Kate Winslet who took the Best Supporting actress award, her third Bafta, for her performance in the Steve Jobs film. Accepting her award she said: "What an incredible year to be nominated. It's been an extraordinary year for women and I feel incredibly proud to stand alongside you all ... I really am overwhelmed."

Winslet and DiCaprio have remained close friends since they starred in Cameron Crowe's epic film Titanic twenty years ago.

George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, was another big winner on the night, taking four awards, most of them technical. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, won the Bafta for best special effects while the rising star award went to John Boyega.

"First and foremost I want to thank god for this moment," said an elated Boyega. "I haven't been doing this for a long time. It's a fluke. And I want to share this award with all the young dreamers who are hardworking talented and quite frankly amazing. Blessed to your path."

The coveted Leading Actress prize was the surprise of the night going to breakout star Brie Larson for Room, however, the 26-year-old was a no-show at the ceremony due to filming commitments in Australia.

Despite being the frontrunners coming into the awards, Carol went home empty handed. Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies took the best supporting actor award for Mark Rylance's performance.

Quentin Tarrantino's The Hateful Eight was awarded Original Music for Ennio Morricone's score while The Amy Winehouse film Amy, directed by Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees, took home the best Documentary award.

Inside Out won the prize for Animated Film, while Outstanding Debut went to Naji Abu Nowar for Theeb, and best Adapted Screenplay went to The Big Short.

Angels Costumes received a special shout out thanks to the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award and the Fellowship Recipient was Sir Sidney Poitier.

Spotlight's Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer were given the Original Screenplay prize, while the Film Not in the English Language prize went to Wild Tales.

The night was not without its share of controversy as a small protest was staged outside the Royal Opera house decrying the lack of representation of black nominees. The #baftablackout protesters carried a banner which read: "The TV and film industry are male, pale and stale. In fear of diversity, opportunity and inclusion."

Sacha Baron Cohen later pointedly joked that he was presenting the "leading white actress award". This year's Bafta fellowship was given to Sir Sidney Poitier, who turns 89 on Friday.

With a veritable who's who of the movie world in attendance the event boasted an illustrious list of guests that included Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eddie Redmayne, Kate Winslet, Julianne Moore, Michael Fassbender, Matt Damon, Johnl Boyega, Tom Cruise, Julie Walters, Angela Bassett, Benicio Del Toro, Alicia Vikander, Rooney Mara, Amy director Asif Kapadia, Gemma Chan and Rebel Wilson who was a winner in her own special way.

After locking lips with Eddie Izzard for the Kiss Cam Rebel Wilson won the biggest laughs of the night as she introduced the nominees in the Best supporting actor category. "I have never been invited to the Oscars because as you know they are racist," she joked. "But the Baftas has diverse members and that's what we all want to see – diverse members."

Her comments did however spark controversy with some social media users who took offence. While she acknowledged her lack of a nomination she said she was hoping to be a contender next year. "I have already been pracitising my transgender face."

Turning her attention to newly single Idris Elba she added: "Idris you're making me nervous. I am sociologically programmed to want chocolate on Valentines day."

THE EE BRITISH ACADEMY FILM AWARDS 2016 WINNERS

BEST ACTOR

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Matt Damon, The Martian

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

BEST ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Dame Maggie Smith, The Lady In The Van

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Brie Larson, Room

BEST FILM

Carol

Bridge Of Spies

The Revenant

The Big Short

Spotlight

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Benicio del Toro, Sicario

Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Christian Bale, The Big Short

Idris Elba, Beasts Of No Nation

Mark Rylance, Bridge Of Spies

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Rooney Mara, Carol

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Julie Walters, Brooklyn

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

45 Years

Amy

Brooklyn

The Danish Girl

Ex Machina

The Lobster

DIRECTOR

Adam McKay, The Big Short

Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies

Todd Haynes, Carol

Ridley Scott, The Martian

Alejandro G Inarritu, The Revenant

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Room

Steve Jobs

Brooklyn

Carol

The Big Short

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Hateful Eight

Inside Out

Spotlight

Ex Machina

Bridge of Spies

EE BAFTA RISING STAR

Dakota Johnson

John Boyega

Brie Larson

Taron Egerton

Bel Powley

DOCUMENTARY

Amy

Cartel Land

He Named Me Malala

Listen To Me Marlon

Sherpa

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Janusz Kamiński, Bridge of Spies

Ed Lachman, Carol

John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road

Emmanuel Lubezki, The Revenant

Roger Deakins, Sicario

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The Assassin

Force Majeure

Theeb

Timbuktu

Wild Tales

ANIMATED FILM

Inside Out

Minions

Shaun The Sheep

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

Alex Garland (Director) Ex Machina

Debbie Tucker Green (Writer/Director) Second Coming

NajiI Abu Nowar (Writer/Director) Rupert Lloyd (Producer) Theeb

Sean McAllister (Director/Producer), Elhum Shakerifar (Producer) A Syrian Love Story

Stephen Fingleton (Writer/Director) The Survivalist

EDITING

The Big Short, Hank Corwin

Bridge Of Spies, Michael Kahn

Mad Max: Fury Road, Margaret Sixel

The Martian, Pietro Scalia

The Revenant, Stephen Mirrione

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Bridge Of Spies, Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo

Carol, Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler

Mad Max: Fury Road, Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson

The Martian, Arthur Max, Celia Bobak

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rick Carter, Darren Gilford, Lee Sandales

COSTUME DESIGN

Brooklyn, Odile Dicks-Mireaux

Carol, Sandy Powell

Cinderella, Sandy Powell

The Danish Girl, Paco Delgado

Mad Max: Fury Road, Jenny Beavan

MAKE UP AND HAIR

Brooklyn, Morna Ferguson, Lorraine Glynn

Carol, Jerry DeCarlo, Patricia Regan

The Danish Girl, Jan Sewell

Mad Max: Fury Road, Lesley Vanderwalt, Damian Martin

The Revenant, Sian Grigg, Duncan Jarman, Robert Pandini

SOUND

Bridge Of Spies, Drew Kunin, Richard Hymns, Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom

Mad Max: Fury Road, Scott Hecker, Chris Jenkins, Mark Mangini, Ben Osmo, Gregg Rudloff, David White

The Martian, Paul Massey, Mac Ruth, Oliver Tarney, Mark Taylor

The Revenant, Lon Bender, Chris Duesterdiek, Martin Hernandez, Frank A Montano, Jon Taylor, Randy Thom

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Matthew Wood, Stuart Wilson

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

Ant-Man, Jake Morrison, Greg Steele, Dan Sudick, Alex Wuttke

Ex Machina, Mark Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, Andrew Whitehurst

Mad Max: Fury Road, Andrew Jackson, Dan Oliver, Tom Wood, Andy Williams

The Martian, Chris Lawrence, Tim Ledbury, Richard Stammers, Steven Warner

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

Edmond, Nina Gantz, Emilie Jouffroy

Manoman, Simon Cartwright, Kamilla Kristiane Hodol

Prologue, Richard Williams, Imogen Sutton

BRITISH SHORT FILM

Elephant, Nick Helm, Alex Moody, Esther Smith

Mining Poems or Odes, Callum Rice, Jack Cocker

Operator, Caroline Bartleet, Rebecca Morgan

Over, Jörn Threlfall, Jeremy Bannister

Samuel-613 Billy Lumby, Cheyenne Conway