UK stars mirror Hollywood and don black for awards

LONDON: Mirroring Hollywood, some of the biggest names in British film are campaigning for an all-black dress code at this month´s prestigious BAFTA awards to highlight widespread sexual harassment at work. Top British stars from Emma Thompson to Keira Knightley have already given their support to a letter calling on industry figures to wear black at the ceremony, said Kate Kinninmont, who heads the Women in Film & Television UK group. “We need to professionalise our industry, be more inclusive, appoint more senior women and get rid of pay inequality. Time is Up!” Kinninmont told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an email. A big turnout in black would mirror the striking show staged by Hollywood last month, when the red carpet at the Golden Globe awards was awash with black dresses. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards take place on Feb. 18 in London, and are the industry´s top night of accolades and self-celebration.