Argo and Les Miserables led the winners at the 2013 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTA) on Sunday (February 10).
The Ben Affleck-directed Argo—in which he also stars—took the night's top prize for Best Film at the ceremony at London's Royal Opera House, while the 40-year-old star also took home the award for Best Director.
An emotional Ben—whose wife Jennifer Garner was in tears as he took to the stage—thanked the audience for accepting his transition from acting to directing, which he called his "second act."
He said: "This is a second act. The industry has given me that, you've given me that. I want to thank you."
The Best Film gong was accepted by Argo producer George Clooney, who hailed Ben as "incredible."
He told the crowd: "I gotta say, Ben. If this is your second act, I don't know what you're going to do for a third act. You're incredible. I can't tell you what an honor it is to work with you."
Argo also won for editing, bringing its total to three awards.
Meanwhile, Les Miserables collected four awards—the most of the night—including Best Supporting Actress for Anne Hathaway, Production Design, Sound and Hair and Make-Up.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz, director Tom Hooper said: "It's amazing to be back here at the BAFTAs two years after The King's Speech. It's a real thrill. I think the British film industry is in a good place.
"I think it's particularly good at things like Les Miserables which involves creating worlds. We built early 19th Century Paris. I could put the camera on any section of that set and the pattern and the detail would stand up to it. It's why Spielberg and Chris Nolan keep coming back here to shoot. It's a great place to be."
Other big winners included Daniel Day-Lewis who won Best Actor for Lincoln, Emanuelle Riva winning Best Actress for Amour, and Christoph Waltz who took home the Best Supporting Actor gong for Django Unchained.
After the ceremony, the stars attended the official DISARONNO after party at the Grosvenor House Ballroom.
BAFTA Awards 2013 Winners List:
Best Film Argo
Best Director Ben Affleck, Argo
Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Best Actress Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Best Supporting Actor Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Best Supporting Actress Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
Best Original Screenplay Django Unchained
Best Adapted Screenplay Silver Linings Playbook
Best British Film Skyfall
Best Film Not in the English Language Amour
Best Animated Film Brave
Best Documentary Searching for Sugar Man
Best Editing William Goldenberg, Argo
Best Costume Design Jacqueline Durran, Anna Karenina
Best Cinematography Claudio Miranda, Life of Pi
Best Original Music Thomas Newman, Skyfall
Best Make-Up & Hair Lisa Wescott, Les Misérables
Best Visual Effects Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer, Donald R. Elliott, Life of Pi
Best Production Design Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson, Les Misérables
Best Sound Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson, Jonathan Allen, Lee Walpole, John Warhurst, Les Misérables
Best British Debut Bart Layton and Dimitri Doganis, The Imposter
Orange Rising Star Award Juno Temple
Best Animated Short The Making of Longbird
Best Live-Action Short Swimmer