Stephen Daldry, currently represented on Broadway with Billy Elliot, took the Best Director award for The Reader. Martin McDonagh, currently represented Off-Broadway with The Cripple of Inishmaan, won for his screenplay of In Bruges. Michael Sheen, who starred in the West End and Broadway productions of Frost/Nixon, won for his recreation of his role of David Frost in the film version of that play, tying with Pat Shortt, who won for his work in Garage.

Mike Leigh received the Alexander Walker award, named after the late Evening Standard critic, for nurturing new talent, as well as his contribution to British Cinema. Sally Hawkins, who starred in Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky, won the Peter Sellars Award for Comedy.

Additional winners include Hunger for Best Film, actress Tilda Swinton for Julia, Mark Digby for Technical Achievement for Slumdog Millionaire, and director Joanna Hogg for Most Promising Newcomer for Unrelated.