from 1979 to 1980, hudson directed his first and most successful feature film, "chariots of fire" (1981), the story of two british track runners, one a devout christian and the other an ambitious jew, in the run-up to the 1924 olympic games. the film is said to have revitalized the fading british film industry, and it won four academy awards, including best picture; hudson earned a nomination for best director. his friend and colleague vangelis produced an academy award-winning score for the film.