First Annual BAFTA Awards Party

This genius excuse for a party was conceived by a lovely friend of mine who recently moved to London from NYC.  Over dinner at my place one evening earlier this month, she was lamenting the fact that, thanks to the 5 hour time difference, she was no longer able to host her annual Oscars party.  In true New Yorker style, she was looking for a way to adapt and rise above, a way to bring this party back to life.  And so The First Annual BAFTA Awards Party was born:

Nearest & Dearest,

Antonia and Sophia would like to invite you to our First Annual BAFTA Awards Party

Sunday, February 12th

From 7 PM

Red Carpet: Commencing 7:30 PM

Ceremony: Commencing 9:00 PM

In case you men are reluctant to read on... there is money involved$$$

Here's how it works:

1.  Everyone participating puts 10 GBP in the pot (Please bring with you in cash on Sunday evening)

2.  Review the ballot of nominees in each category (below)

3.  Select your predictions for winner of each category

4.  Print and complete your ballot

5.  Bring your completed ballot with you on Sunday evening

6.  NOTE: No ballots will be accepted after 8:30 PM

7.  Votes will be tallied in real time as the winners are announced on live TV

8.  The person with the highest number of correct predictions will be declared the winner

9.  WINNER TAKES ALL

P.S. We are entirely open to upping the ante to 20 GBP per person but don't want to scare anyone off. Open to feedback on this point.

P.P.S. Black Tie Optional 

The ante was upped to 20gbp each, so the total pot of money up for grabs was a non-paltry 220gbp.  It was at this point that people's true colours began to show.  Some discreetly looked up the 2011 Golden Globe Awards winners, always a good leading indicator of future awards ceremony success.   A few checked online betting websites to see which option had the most favourable odds in each category.  One person with no shame at all to speak of used twitter to follow bloggers attending the actual ceremony who were tweeting winners before they were announced on TV (there was a lag between the real time and televised ceremony).  Scorned by some yet admired by others, it was only fair to disqualify him.

As a nod to the industry we were all gathered to recognize achievement in, we set up an authentic cinematic experience by using a movie projector to cast the ceremony on my  living room wall.  It was a nice touch, see below:

Martin Scorsese wins Lifetime Achievement Award

After the ballots were marked and votes were tallied, the winning ballot had 15 correct answers out of a maximum possible score of 23.  This impressive ballot belonged to none other than the lovely Antonia herself.  Yes, readers, the very same friend who planted the seeds for this whole idea one chilly night not so long ago.  Eerie coincidence?  Or mini-Madoff international ponzi scheme of her own design?  In her defence, she did arrive at my apartment with her completed ballot a good two hours before the ceremoney began, and did not resort to social media sites for inside information.  And in the end, she very kindly used her winnings to buy us all yummy pizza from http://www.madeinitalygroup.co.uk/  for dinner. 

Completed Ballots

Winner's prize

So, if you are a cinema fan, feeling a bit strapped for cash, and that is really Grazia you are reading folded in between the covers of The Economist, this fun way to gather friends is probably right up your street.  It will certainly be an annual event for this crew going forward!