Bryan Forbes: Special Award 2007

Bryan Forbes, one of British Cinema’s most prolific and remarkable filmmakers has been honoured with  BAFTA Special Award.

From the poignant drama of Whistle Down the Wind (1961) to the eerie science fiction of The Stepford Wives (1975), Forbes’s dexterity across several disciplines has always been complemented by his courage in embracing new ventures.

During his career he has clocked up four BAFTA nominations for his work. This includes; coming-of-age drama The League of Gentleman (1961, and his first directing job), kitchen sink comedy Only Two Can Play (1962), crime drama Séance On A Wet Afternoon (1964) and WWII drama King Rat (1965). And he won the 1961 British Screenplay BAFTA for The Angry Silence.

Bryan Forbes’ celebrated career and outstanding achievement in filmmaking, saw a host of stars from the world of film gather at the Academy headquarters to share memories and pay homage to him as an icon of the British film industry.

Introduced by actor Simon Callow, tributes were given by Forbes’ friends and colleagues, including actress Nanette Newman, Sir Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh and Sir Roger Moore. Academy President Lord Attenborough presented Bryan with the special BAFTA.

Forbes has had a multi-faceted career in film spanning six decades and encompassing acting, writing, directing and executive producing – he even ran MGM Studios at Elstree between 1969 and 1971, overseeing successful films like The Raging Moon (1971).

His prolific work has been hailed as resulting in some of British cinema’s most memorable moments. But reflecting on his career, Forbes describes himself as: “a writer who became an actor who became a screenwriter who became a director…”