Brilliant Brits clinch Oscars glory from behind scenes

BRITISH expertise in words, technical wizardry and music shone through at the Oscars on a night when low-budget US hit Anora took the big prizes.

- Giles Sheldrick

Veteran playwright Peter Straughan won for best adapted screenplay for the Papal thriller Conclave, based on Robert Harris's 2016 novel.

The Geordie, 56, was congratulated afterwards by the British film's star Ralph Fiennes, who said he was a “great writer and great man”.

In his acceptance speech, as he thanked “everyone involved” in making Conclave, Peter gave a sweet mention to his daughter Connie, saying: “Connie, I love you. This is for you. That's not the same as saying it's yours, it's not like that jumper you keep taking. This is mine.”

He was joined in taking home the famous gold statuette by fellow Brits Lol Crawley, 50, who bagged best cinematography for his work on The Brutalist, and Daniel Blumberg, 35, who picked up best original score for the same film.