I, Daniel Blake is an early BAFTA winner

Ken Loach’s drama I, Daniel Blake has been named the first winner of the 2017 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards.
The movie, about the British welfare system, took home the golden BAFTA mask for Outstanding British Film on Sunday night (12Feb17), beating off competition from American Honey, Denial, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Notes on Blindness, and Under the Shadow.
Director Loach kicked off the night with a highly political acceptance speech, saying, “Thanks to the Academy for endorsing the truth of what the film says… the most vulnerable and the poorest are treated with a callous brutality that is disgraceful.”
He also took aim at the government for the refugee crisis and made reference to U.S. President Donald Trump saying, “The struggle is coming” and also joked about the serious tone of his speech, adding, “Bit early for a political speech, I’m sorry.”
The film is also nominated for awards including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Hayley Squires.
La La Land came into the awards ceremony in the lead with 11 nominations, closely followed by Arrival and Nocturnal Animals with nine.
The ceremony is being presented by long-running host Stephen Fry at London’s Royal Albert Hall.