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Bohemian Rhapsody is surprise Golden Globes winner

Green Book wins in Musical or Comedy category

by Jennie Kermode

The Golden Globes

Bohemian Rhapsody, a film many people enjoyed but which wasn't expected to score highly with the critics, was the surprise winner in the drama category at tonight's Golden Globe awards. It also took the Best Actor - Drama wards for Rami Malek. Green Book, meanwhile, won in the Musical or Comedy category as well as taking the awards for Best Supporting Actor (for Mahershala Ali) and Best Screenplay.

Rami Malek won Best Actor - Drama for Bohemian Rhapsody

Alfonso Cuarón was thrilled to receive the awards for Best Director and Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language award for Roma. Though the film has been criticised by some indigenous Mexicans, he sees it differently, paying tribute to Libo, the nanny who raised him, and saying "Cinema is at its best when it tears down walls and builds bridges to other cultures" - something that has also been interpreted as a reference to Donald Trump's proposed border wall between the US and Mexico. In the past he has joked that such a wall could be built out of Mexican filmmakers' Oscars.

Receiving the award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for his portrayal of Dick Cheney in Vice, Christian Bale has thanked Satan for providing him with inspiration. Taking the equivalent award for an actress, Olivia Colmen said "Thanks to Yorgos and my bitches," getting a little wave from Rachel Weisz.

"We have to follow our dreams. We have to say I can do that and I should be allowed to do that," said Glenn Close, receiving the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama, and reflected "The film was called The Wife. I think that's why it took 14 years to get made."

Regina King has won Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture, perhaps the most hotly contested category this year, for her performance in If Beale Street Could Talk. "We are so proud of this film," she said. She also took the opportunity to stand up for women in the industry, repeating a commitment to ensure that 50% of the people employed in any project she works on are female, and adding "I challenge anyone out there who is in a position of power...to do the same."

Best Supporting Actress winner Regina King demanded equal opportunity for women in film

The first film award of tonight's Golden Globes went to Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse, which was named Best Animated Picture. It was followed by Justin Hurwitz taking Best Original Score for his composition for First Man. Taylor Swift got a big hug from Lady Gaga when presenting her with the award for Best Original Song.

Last year's Golden Globes were marked by the presence of women wearing black as part of a protest against sexual harassment in the film industry. This year the mood was much more optimistic and the red carpet at the Los Angeles ceremony saw a riot of colour. Amy Adams chose a sleek blue dress, Claire Foy looked resplendent in yellow silk and Regina King made waves in a shimmering pink sequinned gown. Jamie Lee Curtis looked chic in a white trouser suit, Dakota Fanning and Saoirse Ronan wore silver, Michelle Yeoh and Catherine Zeta Jones both made an impression in green and Lady Gaga wore a flowing periwinkle blue gown so large that she needed two extra people to carry its train. Nicole Kidman went for a sleeker look in a shiny floor length plum dress and Penelope Cruz wore black anyway.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul, wearing a sharply cut white jacket, brought along his golden Globe from last year to show to the crowds lining the red carpet.

Women in Film and Women & Hollywood have both expressed concern that there were no women included in the nominations for Best Director this year. Other awards events this year have seen Lynne Ramsey nominated for You Were Never Really Here and Lucrecia Martel nominated for Zama. Nevertheless, Charlize Theron said that she thinks a lot has changed and women's work is now becoming much more visible. "We're done done. We're not taking this," she declared.

Those film awards in full:-

Best Motion Picture – Drama