The cast and crew of British movies
will no longer be hailed as the underdogs at awards ceremonies.
At the recent 81st Oscars ceremony,
British actors and movies won no less than 11 awards.
The list of Oscar winners is usually dominated
by American films and actors
but 2009 has seen a more international flavour
to the ceremony.
British actors and actresses
have long awaited such global recognition.
Kate Winslet was nominated six times
for an Oscar before she eventually won
the Best Actress award at this year's ceremony.
Slumdog Millionaire lived up to its status as a global success
and movie phenomenon.
The low-budget movie swept the board
winning eight Oscars,
including Best Director and Best Picture.
The movie, which documents the life of a young Indian boy
after he wins a TV game show,
has definitely helped
to raise the profile of the British film industry.
Summarising the national feeling,
British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown,
issued a statement saying
"Britain is showing it has the talent to lead the world".