Pretty special stars

Some of Britain's finest film actors past and present gathered at the Savoy to celebrate the 30th Evening Standard British Film Awards - and witnessed a star of the future crowned best actor.

In a ceremony hosted by Jack Dee last night, German supermodel Heidi Klum presented Ejiofor's award in front of British stars including Roger Moore, Hugh Grant - with Mariella Frostrup as his date - Rosamund Pike, John Hurt, Samantha Bond, Twiggy, Mike Leigh, Gillian Anderson and Maureen Lipman.

Receiving his award Ejiofor, 25, said: "I had a wonderful, incredible time doing this film, but it seems incredible to receive an award for doing it."

It was only the first triumph last night for Frears's brilliant exposè of 21st-century London, which also won the best film award.

Introducing the ceremony for her first time as Editor of the Evening Standard, Veronica Wadley paid tribute to the vibrancy of the British film industry - which continues to produce world-beating cinema in the face of increasingly vicious economic strictures.

She said: "Our awards are dedicated solely to British talent at home and abroad. This makes them unique. British film companies like Film Four are retrenching. Granada has ceased making films - we hope only temporarily. The Film Council is being forced to take a harder look at value for public money. There may be less of it soon. But we keep a special affection for the talents that these awards have honoured and discovered over 30 years."

Presenting Stephen Frears with the best film award, maverick director Terry Gilliam said: "These are not good times and I do not know how much money is going to make new films - but I wonder how much is being spent on all these employees of the Film Council."

Despite the industry's bureaucratic and financial problems, last night was a time, above all, to celebrate the films made in Britain during 2002.

Catherine Zeta-Jones - once a lowly chorus girl in a West End production of 42nd Street - was best actress for her high-kicking, high-decibel performance as Velma Kelly in Chicago. Speaking via videolink from her California home she apologised for being gushingly theatrical but added: "I can't tell you, receiving this award in my homeland means so, so much to me. I wish I was with you tonight."

Dougray Scott - tipped as the next James Bond - was in the audience to see the Bond films win the Evening Standard's Special Award for 40 years of cinematic excellence. Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson were presented with the award by former 007 Roger Moore.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe presented the technical achievement award to Eve Stewart for her work on the gritty, bittersweet film All Or Nothing. Daniel said of special effects work: "When you've been stuck on a broomstick for as many days as I have, you really appreciate it."

Receiving her prize Ms Stewart gave Daniel a huge smacker and declared: "I can't believe I've just kissed Harry Potter."

The best screenplay award, presented by actress Gina McKee, went to Neil Hunter and Tom Hunsinger for The Lawless Heart. Rosamund Pike awarded young director Asif Kapadia the most promising newcomer award for The Warrior.

Hugh Grant - a former Evening Standard film award winner - came a cropper when presenting the Peter Sellers award for comedy. The hapless actor lived up to his onscreen persona by forgetting the names of Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe, who won with Lucy Darwin for their painfully funny docudrama Lost In La Mancha. "I just can't remember their names," said Grant, "I really am terribly sorry."