Vera Drake scoops Golden Lion

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Controversial British film scoops double award
12:40pm 12th September 2004

A British film tackling the controversial subject of abortion has scooped two prestigious awards at the Venice Film Festival.
Vera Drake, which was backed with £1m of National Lottery money, unexpectedly won the Golden Lion prize for best film while Imelda Staunton, its star lead, was named best actress.

The low budget film from British director Mike Leigh was rejected from the Cannes Film Festival earlier in the year but is now being tipped for Oscar glory at the Academy Awards.

Accepting the prize last night, Leigh paid tribute to the UK Film Council for its support. "All film making is tough and Vera Drake was no exception," he said.
"It was made under very tough conditions with a ridiculously low budget.

"In a cynical world it is a wonderful thing and most reassuring when low budget, serious, committed, independent, European films are recognised and encouraged in this way and helped to reach their audience."

He also took a swipe at the organisers of Cannes saying: "I would like to thank most sincerely the Cannes Film Festival for rejecting this film so we might be here this evening."

He also thanked the jury, which included Dame Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Spike Lee and British director John Boorman, for their "excellent decision".

Vera Drake triumphed over the likes of Mira Nair's big screen adaptation of Vanity Fair and Nicole Kidman's contentious new film Birth.

Set in post-war London, Vera Drake stars Staunton as a cleaning lady who secretly helps working class women by performing illegal backstreet abortions.

She is eventually caught when one young girl nearly dies as a result of the procedure, and is jailed for her crimes.

Staunton said: "I thank the jury for embracing and honouring this film which I am so proud to be in. I do think it deals with a complex subject with such compassion."

Staunton, 48, an acclaimed stage actress who has won several theatre awards, beat such stars as Kidman and Reese Witherspoon to the best actress prize.

Vera Drake follows in the footsteps of low budget British film The Magdalene Sisters which won the Golden Lion at Venice in 2002 and was also funded by the UK Film Council.

Robert Jones, head of the UK Film Council's Premiere Fund, said: "We have proved once again that the UK Film Council is funding some of the best films in the world."

Leigh's success was all the sweeter because organisers of the Cannes Film Festival rejected the film earlier this year. "I would like to thank most sincerely the Cannes Film Festival for rejecting this film so we might be here this evening," Leigh said dryly. "Thank you Venice."