Stars of 'Slumdog Millionaire'

There's no doubt which movie was the star at last night's Baftas -- the British equivalent of the Oscars. Slumdog Millionaire, set in Mumbai, won in seven categories -- including Best Director for Danny Boyle and Best Film. Vincent Dowd reports.

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Danny Boyle: ''You learn to accept and absorb extremes. You know, because your tendency is to try and fight and them and resolve them and rationalise them. But actually there’s an openness there and you kind of learn like that and I really benefitted from that as a person and I think I think as a director as well actually. I learnt an awful lot doing it.''

Kate Winslet took Best Actress for her role in The Reader. But who only a year ago would have predicted that Mickey Rourke, at 56, would have been in contention for.. and won…a Bafta? His career seemed over until rescued by The Wrestler, the story of an attempted sporting comeback with echoes of his own life.

Nothing for the Abba musical, Mamma Mia! And nothing for Clint Eastwood's The Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie. Miss Jolie's partner, Brad Pitt, lost out for both Burn After Reading AND The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Vincent Dowd – BBC News, London

Listen to the words

Bollywood
the Indian film industry

eye-opening experience
an event that surprised him and taught him something new

accept and absorb extremes
understand or make sense of very difficult situations

tendency
likelihood to behave in a particular way

benefitted
was helped by, learnt a lot

predicted
foretold, said what will happen in the future

been in contention for
being considered for

rescued
saved

attempted sporting comeback
tried to be successful as a sportsman again after a long time of not competing

echoes of his own life
similar to his own life

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