Atom-bomb epic ‘Oppenheimer’ leads with 13 nominations at British Academy Film Awards
The British Academy Film Awards, also known as the BAFTAs, is set to take place on Sunday, and all eyes are on the atom-bomb epic “Oppenheimer.” With an impressive 13 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director for Christopher Nolan, and Best Actor for Cillian Murphy, the biopic of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer could potentially break a 53-year-old record if it wins big on the night. The current record of nine awards is held by “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” from 1971.
However, “Oppenheimer” faces tough competition from other notable films, including the Gothic fantasia “Poor Things,” which has received 11 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director for Yorgos Lanthimos, and Best Actress for Emma Stone. The historical epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” and the Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest” are also strong contenders, with nine nominations each.
One film that has been making waves at the box office is “Barbie,” which is part of the highly anticipated “Barbenheimer” franchise set to release in 2023. Despite its commercial success, “Barbie” received five nominations but was notably snubbed in the Best Picture and Best Director categories. Many see this as a major oversight and a snub to director Greta Gerwig.
The BAFTA ceremony, hosted by “Doctor Who” star David Tennant, promises to be a glamorous affair and a precursor to Hollywood’s Academy Awards. The red carpet is expected to be graced by a star-studded lineup of nominees and presenters, including Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Rosamund Pike, Ryan Gosling, and Ayo Edebiri. The guest of honor for the evening will be Prince William, who serves as the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
In addition to the frontrunners, other notable films with multiple nominations include the French courtroom drama “Anatomy of a Fall,” the boarding school coming-of-age drama “The Holdovers,” and the Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” each receiving seven nominations. The grief-flecked love story “All of Us Strangers” also garnered six nominations, while the barbed class-war comedy “Saltburn” received five.
The Best Film category is expected to be a tight race between “Oppenheimer,” “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” and “The Holdovers.” The Best British Film category, on the other hand, features an eclectic mix of films, including “Saltburn,” “Napoleon,” “Rye Lane,” and “Wonka.”
The BAFTA Awards have made efforts to increase diversity in recent years. In 2020, changes were introduced after criticism for the lack of female directors and representation of people of color. While progress has been made, there is still work to be done. This year, only one woman, Justine Triet for “Anatomy of a Fall,” is nominated for Best Director. Greta Gerwig, Emerald Fennell for “Saltburn,” and Celine Song for “Past Lives” were notably absent from the list.
There is also a possibility of history being made in the Best Actress category, with Fantasia Barrino for “The Color Purple” and Vivian Oparah for “Rye Lane” being nominated alongside Sandra Hüller for “Anatomy of a Fall,” Carey Mulligan for “Maestro,” Margot Robbie for “Barbie,” and Emma Stone for “Poor Things.” Notably, there are no British performers nominated in the Best Actor category, but Ireland is represented by Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer” and Barry Keoghan for “Saltburn.”
The BAFTA Awards will also recognize outstanding contributions to cinema. Samantha Morton will receive the prestigious BAFTA Fellowship, while film curator June Givanni, founder of the June Givanni PanAfrican Cinema Archive, will be honored for her outstanding British contribution to cinema.
The ceremony, which will include musical performances by Hannah Waddingham and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, is set to be broadcast on BBC One in the UK and on streaming service BritBox in the US, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. All eyes will be on the winners, as they may provide hints about who might take home the coveted awards at the upcoming Oscars on March 10.