'Vera Drake' Named Best of British

Imelda Staunton also picks up the best actress award, while it's a good night for Working Title.

Feb  7 2005

'Vera Drake' was named film of the year at the 2004 Evening Standard British Film Awards last night.

The Mike Leigh directed drama about a 1950s abortionist also saw Imelda Staunton take home the award for best actress, strengthening her chances of a win at the Oscars on February 27.

Meanwhile Paddy Considine was named best actor for his remarkable work as a vengeful brother in Shane Meadows' 'Dead Man's Shoes'.

The star-studded ceremony, which took place at the Savoy, proved to be a good one for production company Working Title.

Co-chairmen Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner won The Alexander Walker Special Award for the company's supreme contribution to British film, while their film 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason' was named Evening Standard Readers' Film of 2004.

'My Summer of Love' also won big, with Pawel Pawlikowski collecting the best screenplay award and actresses Emily Blunt and Nathalie Press taking home the ITV London award for most promising newcomers.

Elsewhere cinematographer Roger Deakins won the technical achievement award for his wonderful work on the otherwise disappointing 'The Village' and 'The Ladykillers', while Simon Pegg was given the Peter Sellers Award for comedy for the hugely popular romantic zombie-comedy 'Shaun of the Dead'.