She her cinematic project First They Killed My Father was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2018 BAFTAs.
And Angelina Jolie, 42, beamed as she arrived on the red carpet in a breath-taking designer gown, accompanied by her pal, human rights activist and author, Loung Ung at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday.
The Oscar-winner looked thrilled to be joined by her long-term friend as they soaked up the glamorous atmosphere together, hugging and joking while they made their way into the star-studded venue.
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Girls’ night out: Angelina Jolie, 42, beamed as she arrived on the red carpet in a breath-taking designer gown, accompanied by her pal, human rights activist and author, Loung Ung at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday
Joined by her important plus one, director Angelina slipped into a strapless custom Ralph & Russo velvet gown for the occasion.
The raven-haired beauty’s one shouldered number featured a daring thigh-high slit which teased at her slender pins as she posed with her friend on the carpet.
The mother-of-six teamed her vintage-inspired attire with a pair of head-turning 33 carat diamond earrings by Graff while her tresses were worked into a sleek chignon.
Support: The Oscar-winner looked thrilled to be joined by her long-term friend as they soaked up the glamorous atmosphere together, hugging and joking while they made their way into the star-studded venue
Striking: Joined by her important plus one, director Angelina slipped into a strapless custom Ralph & Russo velvet gown for the occasion
A host of female celebrities walked the red carpet at the BAFTAs with some very important plus ones indeed, bringing along strong female figures who have done their bit to change the world for the better.
And on a night where the guests wore black in a bid to support Time’s Up,a movement against sexual harassment founded on January 1, 2018, by Hollywood celebrities in response to the Weinstein effect and #MeToo, it perhaps couldn’t have come at a better time.
Loung Ung, who she has known for 16 years, complemented Angelina and showed her support for the worthwhile initiative by wearing a black full-length gown which featured sheer panelling.
Loung wrote the book First They Killed My Father, which Angelina adapted into her directorial passion, which told the story of a young girl’s version of the 1975 Cambodian genocide from the child’s five-year-old eyes until she turns nine.
Having fun: The pals appeared in jovial spirits together
Glam: The raven-haired beauty’s one shouldered number featured a daring thigh-high slit which teased at her slender pins as she posed with her friend on the carpet
Deadline previously reported that when Angelina was in Cambodia while in her 20s, she purchased Loung Ung’s book from a street corner and became fascinated by the story.
She said: ‘I didn’t realize how much my education was lacking and how much I needed to learn. This book was an education for me — about refugees and what children go through in a war. I wanted to find Loung.’
Angelina revealed that Loung went to Cambodia with her to adopt her eldest son Maddox, 16, and reflected on how she wanted to find the author after reading her book.
She shared: ‘It was an education about refugees and what children go through in a war. I wanted to find her.’
Heading-turning: The mother-of-six teamed her vintage-inspired attire with a pair of head-turning 33 carat diamond earrings by Graff while her tresses were worked into a sleek chignon
Dramatic: Angelina’s look featured a striking long train
‘We clicked right away,’ Loung added. ‘She was really, really authentic. She hates it when I gush about her in public, but she’s a really cool person.’
First They Killed My Father faces off stiff competition in the Best Foreign Language Film against Elle, The Handmaiden, Loveless and The Salesman.
Meanwhile, The Shape of Water , directed by Guillermo del Toro, has been nominated for a total of 12 awards with Darkest Hour and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri both receiving nine nominations. Blade Runner 2049 , Dunkirk , I, Tonya , Call Me by Your Name and Phantom Thread were also nominated for multiple awards.
Members of the Time’s Up initiative sent around a letter urging guests ‘to wear black to the awards ceremony, to follow suit from our sisters who attended the Golden Globes’.
Walk this way: She teetered to the ceremony in a pair of pointed stilettos
Just a month ago, most of the stars who attended the Golden Globes wore black in a show of solidarity towards victims of sexual harassment.
And while the dress code was looser for the Grammys, stars walked the red carpet carrying white roses in support of gender equality.
This year’s BAFTA Awards are being hosted by Joanna Lumley after Stephen Fry announced he was stepping down after hosting for 12 years, from 2001 to 2006 and again from 2012 to 2017. TV presenter Jonathan Ross presented during the intervening years.
She said at the time: ‘Honestly how exciting is this? It’s just so unbelievably thrilling. I always looked at the BAFTA Awards with Stephen Fry there forever more, so who thought I’d turn into Stephen Fry? I said yes indecently quickly. Thank you, thank you, I’ll see you on the night .
Wrapped up: She teamed her look with a matching velvet shawl
Beauty: Angelina sported a dramatic smokey eye
And after stepping down from his coveted position, Stephen Fry said: ‘Every one of the 12 BAFTA film award ceremonies that I had the privilege of hosting has a place in my memory.
‘The mixture of glamour, glory, drama and – occasionally – embarrassment and hiccup holds a unique place in the British film calendar.
‘Over the last two decades I have especially loved watching the emergence of new young film talent behind and in front of the camera. But after so long a time I felt it only right to stand down and let others take the Baftas on to new heights and greater glories.
‘I want to thank all the production staff, Amanda Berry and her wonderful Bafta colleagues, the BBC and all those who helped make every year so enjoyable.
Giggling: The pair giggled during the red capret
Fun-filled: The friends appeared to keep each other entertained during the carpet
‘I reserve especial gratitude and imagination for Ivor Baddiel and Phil Kerr, whose work on the scripts was so skillful it made people think I’d written every line myself.
‘What fun it will be to watch BAFTA 2018 without my heart hammering, mouth drying and knees trembling.’
The 2018 BAFTAs will be live on air on BBC One on Sunday. The star-studded ceremony is also being live-streamed on the BAFTAs official Facebook page .
The first BAFTA award ceremony took place in 1949 and presented the initial awards for films made in 1947 and 1948.
Following the nomination announcements back in January, BAFTA was criticised about the absence of women making this year’s Best Director shortlist.
In the details: She accentuated her plump pout with a slick of nude lipstick
Greta Gerwig, director of Lady Bird, was notably absent from the shortlist –despite the film receiving nominations for Original Screenplay, Leading Actress and Supporting Actress and winning two Golden Globes last week.
Angelina Jolie also failed to make the cut for directing First They Killed My Father, nominated for the category of Film Not in the English Language. Other female directors left off include Lucy Cohen, who directed Kingdom of Us, and Rungano Nyoni for I Am Not A Witch – despite both having made it into the Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer category.
Of all the 2018 BAFTA Film nominees in non-gender-specific categories, only around 20 per cent are women.
Jovial: She smiled to her adoring fans as she arrived to the event
Signing off: Angelina happily signed autographs for her fans
Kathryn Bigelow is the only woman in history to win the Best Director award – for The Hurt Locker in 2010. BAFTA boss Amanda Berry told yesterday’s BBC Radio 4 Today programme: ‘Well, I have to admit there are no female directors in the director category, but there are five female directors nominated elsewhere’.
British movies such as Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool and Paddington 2 have received more attention than at the big US ceremonies.
Battling it out in the EE Rising Star Award, voted for by the public, which will be a battle between Daniel Kaluuya, Florence Pugh, Josh O’Connor, Timothée Chalamet and Tessa Thompson.
Picture perfect: She posed for selfies with fans
