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It was undoubtedly 1917's night at the Baftas, with seven awards including best film, but the ceremony's hottest topic was diversity.

Host Graham Norton opened by saying it was "the year when white men finally broke through... 11 nominations for Joker - the story of a white man who makes himself even whiter". He joked that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood harked back to 50 years ago when film was "a misogynistic male-dominated industry, resistant to change".

The Bafta nominations were criticised for the serious lack of diversity - after all 20 acting nominees were white, with no female directors nominated since 2013.

It "simply cannot be right in this day and age" to still be talking about diversity, said the Duke of Cambridge, while Joker star and best actor winner Joaquin Phoenix took aim at "systemic racism" in the film industry.

Rebel Wilson flew the flag for the lack of female directors, saying of the all-male nominees: "I don't think I could do what they do, honestly, I just don't have the balls."

• Does current Bafta voting system need to change?

But those who addressed the issue in the winners' press room were more upbeat, even sounding optimistic about the future.

1. 'Going in right direction' on diversity

Top Boy and Blue Story star Micheal Ward said: "I feel like we're going in the right direction." He was hopeful that once "people like me can see there's a lot more opportunities", they'll get into "stuff like this and hopefully get nominated".

Parasite's South Korean director Bong Joon Ho also had high hopes: "From the various efforts we've been putting in, we will arrive where we do have diversity in this industry, whether it's about gender, sexuality or people of colour."

Renee Zellweger simply felt "grateful that there is more material out there that speaks to a wider audience".

"I think it's important that content should reflect society more completely - I agree with that," said the Judy star and best actress winner.

The Bafta organisers will no doubt be keen that their voters are listening.

2. Miaow - claws out for Cats

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Rebel Wilson drew several sharp intakes of breath for her speech, including her comments on Cats, in which of course she played Jennyanydots.

The film has performed badly with critics and at the box office, and Wilson said: "I made this dress by sewing two old dresses together. The red is from that one time I didn't win Miss Australia and the black is from a funeral I just went to for the feature film Cats.

"Strangely not nominated for any awards, I'm not sure if everyone here is across the controversy, but this year there has been a distinct lack of nominations for felines."

3. John Boyega was right