Kathryn Bigelow poses with her award after winning best director for the movie The Hurt Locker at the British Academy Film Awards in London on Sunday. (Joel Ryan/Associated Press)

Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker captured six prizes, including best picture, at the British Academy Film Awards, known as the BAFTAs.

Kathryn Bigelow took the best director prize for the film, beating nominees that included her former husband, Avatar director James Cameron.

The Hurt Locker also won prizes for original screenplay, cinematography, editing and sound.

Avatar picked up awards for production design and visual effects.

Avatar and The Hurt Locker both went into Sunday's awards with nominations in eight categories, including best picture.

The major acting prizes were handed to Carey Mulligan for her turn as a teenager coming of age in 1960s Britain in An Education and Colin Firth as a homosexual man grieving the loss of his lover in A Single Man.

Other prizes given out include:

• Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds.
• Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, Precious.
• Best British Film: Fish Tank.
• Animated Film: Up.
• Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air.