Tilda Swinton has been named best actress at the European Film Awards. The British star was honoured for her performance as troubled mother Eva Khatchadourian in gritty drama We Need To Talk About Kevin by the members of the European Film Academy at a glittering ceremony in Berlin.
Colin Firth's success showed no signs of abating as he scooped best actor for his Oscar-winning turn in The King's Speech, which also won the coveted People's Choice Award. Lars Von Trier's apocalyptic drama Melancholia led the ceremony with three awards, including the prestigious best European film of the year, as well as the Carlo Di Palma European cinematographer gong for Manuel Alberto Claro and best European production designer prize for Jette Lehmann.
However, the controversial director lost the best director gong to Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier, who was honoured for the Oscar-winning Haevnen (In A Better World). British director Stephen Frears was given the European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, while Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen received the statue for European achievement in world cinema. Despite being a frontrunner at the 2012 Oscars, The Artist only went home with a trophy for best score.