Vanessa Redgrave Awarded Lifetime Achievement at Women In Film and Television Awards 2014

Rosamund Pike, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins and Lyse Doucet also amongst winners

Legendary stage and screen star Vanessa Redgrave, popular television presenting duo Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins and Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike were just some of the outstanding women from the world of film, television and animation to be honoured today at the 24th annual Women in Film and TV Awards, supported by Sky, at the Park Lane Hilton Hotel.

Broadcaster and presenter Sandi Toksvig hosted the glamorous event where 1,000 of film and TV’s most influential industry guests gathered to celebrate the year’s most inspiring women.

Vanessa Redgrave received The EON Productions Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Sir David Hare. The award honours Vanessa’s outstanding acting career on screen and stage, spanning five decades. Born into an acting dynasty, Vanessa Redgrave has starred in more than 80 films and is a six-time Oscar nominee, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the title role in the 1977 film Julia. She is the only British actress ever to win.

Emmy, Tony, Olivier, Cannes, Golden Globe Oscar and Screen Actors Guild awards. Redgrave’s recent films include Mission Impossible, Atonement,  Coriolanus and The Butler.

The NEP Visions Presenter Award was presented by Mary Berry to comedic presenting duo Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, recognising their work on the hugely popular BBC series The Great British Bake Off. The MAC Best Performance Award went to actress Rosamund Pike for her powerful portrayal of a scorned wife in one of the year’s hottest films, Gone Girl. Lyse Doucet was also honoured for her bravery and compassion whilst reporting from the war zones of Syria and was presented with The ITV Studios Achievement of the Year Award by broadcast journalist Jon Snow.

Location Manager Sue Quinn was presented with The Film Finances Project Management Award in recognition of her work on films including Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter, but most notably her ability to defy the odds by making it possible for Tom Cruise to land a military helicopter in the middle of Trafalgar Square for blockbuster The Edge of Tomorrow. Appearing via video link from the depths of the Australian jungle, Ant and Dec presented The Barclays Business Award to Jane Turton, Chief Operating Officer of All3Media, and The ENVY Producer award went to Katie Swinden for her work on Marvellous, Peaky Blinders and Luther.

Screenwriter Lucy Kirkwood picked up The Creative Skillset Writing Award for her work on Sky’s drama The Smoke, whilst Consolata Boyle won The Panalux Craft Award for her impressive costume design in films including Philomena, The Iron Lady, and Testament of Youth.

WFTV CEO Kate Kinninmont said: “Year after year these awards celebrate the talented women in film and television, and this year’s winners are a superb group of creative and outstanding women.  We are particularly thrilled to honour Vanessa Redgrave’s remarkable career with The EON Lifetime Achievement award. Our BBC News and Factual Award goes this year to producers Sara Hardy and Blue Ryan for their documentary The Unspeakable Crime: Rape, which documents the effects of this terrible crime in a way never seen before on British television. This film is so powerful that it’s now being used to train people working with victims of rape and sexual crimes. The calibre of nominees is always very high in every category and we are privileged to recognize each of the winner’s remarkable achievements.”

Other winners included: Kate Hopkins, Julie Baines, Daisy Jacobs, Joanna Hogg
Presenters included: Jon Snow, Gemma Arterton, John Hannah, Baroness Oona King, Ronke Phillips, Clare Stewart and Tristan Oliver.