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Whether it was the advantage of being on home turf, the buzz that has built around it, or the British film’s natural charm, Slumdog Millionaire won a decisive victory last night at the Baftas in London.

Danny Boyle’s drama of a Mumbai slum-dwelling boy who reaches the final of the Indian Who Wants to be a Millionaire took almost every important award for which it had been nominated, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Kate Winslet, already fêted at American awards ceremonies, again triumphed in the Leading Actress category for The Reader, one of two films for which she had been nominated. The actress’s voice wavered as she said: “I’d like to thank my Mum and Dad, who I won’t look at right now or I will burst into tears.”

In what may be a foretaste of the Oscars, Slumdog outperformed its American rival The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Both films had received 11 nominations, but while Slumdog won seven awards, Button took just three, all in minor categories.

The Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt, who stars in Button, and Angelina Jolie, who was hoping to win Best Actress for Changeling, had to console themselves with a goodie bag featuring an aromatherapy massage at the Dorchester.

With Baftas for music, cinematography, editing, and sound, Millionaire put away an award roughly every 20 minutes. It has won almost 50 so far this awards season.

The ceremony, held at the Royal Opera House, was well-predicted. Bookmakers lost some £1 million after Kate Winslet, Heath Ledger and Slumdog were all heavily backed to win.

Mickey Rourke’s victory in the Best Actor category - over Pitt, Frank Langella, Dev Patel and Sean Penn - was also widely tipped, but no less extraordinary a comeback for an actor who has not had a leading role in a mainstream film for nearly two decades.

Asked by reporters whether he minded the icy rain that greeted his arrival, he said: “It’s really cold, but I’ve been out in the cold for a long time.”

In his acceptance speech, he thanked the director of The Wrestler for the second chance he had “after f***ing up my career for 15 years”. He said: “It’s such a pleasure to be here after the darkness.”

Jonathan Ross, who acted as master of ceremonies, was careful to keep his words clean, following his recent suspension by the BBC. After Rourke’s expletive-filled acceptance speech, Ross ad-libbed that the actor would “now be suspended for three months”.

Mocking Christian Bale for the actor’s recently publicised rant on the set of Terminator Salvation, Ross said that he was so nervous that he was shaking like Bale’s personal assistant. “Minutes before that outburst he was given a shockingly undercinnamoned cappuccino,” Ross explained. “Who can blame him?”

Teasing Winslet for her tear-stricken acceptance speeches at previous awards ceremonies, Ross declared: “Just in case emotion gets the better of you - I think you know who I’m talking about, Kate - don’t panic. We’ve asked the Thames people to raise the flood barrier. We’re safe.”

Boyle told the audience in his acceptance speech for Best Director: “The wiring in my Dad’s house blew overnight, so this is a big shout-out to everyone who helped to get it fixed so he could watch the ceremony tonight.”

He also thanked his son, Gabriel, who stood up and shouted in response: “I love you, Dad.”

Ross satisfied Twitter fans by inserting the word “salad” into his routine, which his followers on the social networking website had voted for. Making a joke before the Costume Award was presented, Ross said: “Actors are like salad - they are nothing without a good dressing.”

Awards highlights

Best Film Slumdog Millionaire, Christian Colson

Leading Actor Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Leading Actress Kate Winslet, The Reader

Supporting Actor Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Supporting Actress Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Outstanding British Film Man on Wire, Simon Chinn/James Marsh

Director Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle

Original Screenplay In Bruges, Martin McDonagh

Adapted Screenplay Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

Animated Film Wall•E, Andrew Stanton

Music Slumdog Millionaire, A. R. Rahman

Cinematography Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle

Academy Fellowship Terry Gilliam

Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Pinewood Studios/ Shepperton Studios

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