Ben Kingsley has been named best European actor for a role he feared he would never be forgiven for.
His prize for the portrayal of Don Logan, a hardcore villain in Jonathan Glazer's debut gangster flick, Sexy Beast - which has already picked up acting awards for his co-stars Ray Winstone and Amanda Redman - was the big turn-up for the books at a European Film Awards dominated by the winsome French comedy romance, Amélie.
It was one of four top prizes British talent took away from the awards in Berlin on Saturday, including a special award for Ewan McGregor's performance as the lovesick poet in Moulin Rouge.
Another of the prizes was a lifetime achievement award for Monty Python, whose two Terrys, Jones and Gilliam, ended up wrestling on stage with the comedian-turned-director Mel Smith after he told them he didn't trust them to take back the three trophies for John Cleese, Eric Idle and Michael Palin.
The shenanigans continued long after they had returned to their seats, turning much of the ceremony into an extended Python sketch.
British comedy also triumphed in the short film section, with Toby MacDonald, 26, winning with his first film, Je t'aime John Wayne, the story of an English cinephile called Belmondo hopelessly obsessed with French film.
But the night really belonged to one such Gallic winner, Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain, to give Jean-Pierre Jeunet's worldwide feelgood hit its full title.
The story of a daydreaming Parisian who discovers she has the power to fulfil dreams, took most of the big prizes, including best film, best director, and best cinematographer. It also won the People's Choice award, a sweep that could yet be repeated at the Oscars next year given how the movie is now charming audiences in the US.
But there was no award for Amélie herself, Audrey Tautou, the unknown who has been propelled into the Hollywood A-list. Instead the best actress award went to another French star, Isabelle Huppert, for her mesmerising performance in Michael Haneke's dark voyeuristic tale of masochism and dependency, The Piano Teacher.
