Kidman is the Baftas' leading lady

The expected two-horse race for awards at this year's Bafta ceremony failed to materialise last night when Chicago and Gangs of New York were edged aside at the star-studded event in Leicester Square.

The big-budget Hollywood blockbusters, which had picked up 12 nominations apiece, had been widely tipped for glory but picked up only three awards between them.

Instead, it was the turn of the smaller budget productions, with accolades for Stephen Daldry's The Hours, Roman Polanski's The Pianist and Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her.

Nicole Kidman's turn as the dowdy, long-nosed Virginia Woolf in The Hours triumphed over Renée Zellweger's high-kicking performance in Chicago, in the best actress category.

The Australian paid tribute to her co-stars Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep, who had also been nominated for awards, and told the audience the Bafta would be split into three for them all to share.

Polanski romped home ahead of Chicago and Gangs of New York in the coveted categories of best film and best director, confounding all expectations.

Gangs of New York was also beaten in the best original screenplay category, which was taken by Almodovar, who went on to win the award for film not in the English language.

The sole award for Martin Scorsese's violent epic about 19th-century New York was taken by the British actor Daniel Day-Lewis, who won best actor.

Chicago, meanwhile, was saved by Welsh actor Catherine Zeta-Jones, who beat off competition from Moore and Streep to win best supporting actress.

Stars from both sides of the Atlantic attended the ceremony, vindicating the organisers' decision to move it ahead of next month's Oscars in Hollywood.