Addressing your hosts in their native language is guaranteed to be a winning move. And so it proved as Dame Judi Dench said "thank you for your kindness" in Danish while accepting a lifetime achievement award at European Film Awards in Copenhagen on Saturday.
The nine-time BAFTA winner, who was making her first ever visit to the Scandinavian country, told the audience, which included Prince Frederik, Princess Mary and singer Marianne Faithfull, she was "completely overwhelmed", before adding her thanks in Danish.
While the visit was a fleeting three-day stopover, Judi – who revealed she has some "Danish blood somewhere" in her family – said she hoped the trip would be the first of many.
Rounding off a good night for British stars, was Kristin Scott Thomas's best European actress trophy, awarded for her part in French film, I've Loved You So Long. The big winner on the night, though, was Italian film Gomorrah, which scooped five awards, while British artist-turned-director Steve McQueen was also honoured for his first venture into feature films, IRA drama Hunger.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
