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'The Hurt Locker' Sweeps BAFTA Awards

The 2010 British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards unfolded as expected today, with top honors going to Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq War drama 'The Hurt Locker.'

The film swept the ceremony, winning six awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Bigelow), Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay.

'Avatar' -- which is viewed as 'The Hurt Locker''s biggest threat for the Best Picture Oscar -- won two awards, for Best Production Design and Best Visual Effects.

Meanwhile, the Best Actor race saw its first surprise of the season, as Colin Firth upset Oscar frontrunner Jeff Bridges for his performance in the Tom Ford drama 'A Single Man.'

Best Actress went to another Brit: Carey Mulligan, who wowed critics with her Oscar-nominated performance in 'An Education.' Mulligan triumphed over fellow-Oscar nominees Gabourey Sidibe ('Precious') and Meryl Streep ('Julie and Julia'). (If you were wondering why Sandra Bullock wasn't nominated, her film, 'The Blind Side,' was ineligible due to its release date in the U.K.)

Rounding out the acting categories were Christoph Waltz ('Inglourious Basterds') and Mo'Nique ('Precious') for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

The BAFTA Awards are typically seen as an important precursor to the Academy Awards. In the past 10 years, BAFTA has matched Oscar's Best Picture winner five times.

The televised ceremony airs tonight at 8PM on BBC America.

WINNERS:

Best Film: 'The Hurt Locker'

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, 'The Hurt Locker'

Best Actor: Colin Firth, 'A Single Man'

Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, 'An Education'

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, 'Inglourious Basterds'

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, 'Precious'

Best Original Screenplay: Mark Boal, 'The Hurt Locker'

Best Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, 'Up in the Air'

Best Animated Film: 'Up'

Best Foreign Language Film: 'A Prophet'

<span style=font-size: x-large;>The Orange Rising Star Award: Kristen Stewart