Paul Thomas Anderson’s socially conscious thriller film, “One Battle After Another,” emerges as the frontrunner at the British Academy Film Awards with an impressive 14 nominations announced on Tuesday. The movie has garnered recognition for its performances, with five cast members receiving acting nominations. Following closely behind is Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic, “Sinners,” which has secured 13 nominations. Other notable contenders include Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet,” a family tragedy set in a Shakespearean backdrop, and Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” a unique tale of a ping-pong odyssey, each receiving 11 nominations.
Guillermo Del Toro’s reinterpretation of “Frankenstein” and the Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value” both received eight nominations, rounding out the top contenders for both the British and Hollywood Academy Awards. The nominees for Best Film include “One Battle After Another,” “Hamnet,” “Marty Supreme,” “Sinners,” and “Sentimental Value.”
Jane Millichip, the CEO of BAFTA, highlighted that the nominations reflect films such as “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners,” which delve into significant societal issues like activism and Black identity, as well as films exploring the complexities of family relationships.
In the Best Leading Actor category, notable contenders include Robert Aramayo for his portrayal in the biographical drama “I Swear,” Timothée Chalamet for “Marty Supreme,” Leonardo DiCaprio for “One Battle After Another,” Ethan Hawke for the Broadway biopic “Blue Moon,” Michael B. Jordan for “Sinners,” and Jesse Plemons for the dystopian tragicomedy “Bugonia.”
Among the leading actress nominees are Jessie Buckley for her role as Agnes Hathaway in “Hamnet,” Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” Kate Hudson for “Song Sung Blue,” Chase Infiniti for “One Battle After Another,” Renate Reinsve for “Sentimental Value,” and Emma Stone for “Bugonia.”
Actors Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn from “One Battle After Another” have all been nominated for their supporting roles. Additionally, The Associated Press received a nomination in the Best Documentary category for Mstyslav Chernov’s impactful Ukraine war portrait, “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” co-produced with PBS Frontline.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on February 22 in London, hosted by actor Alan Cumming. The EE BAFTA Film Awards often serve as a precursor to the Hollywood Academy Awards, which will take place on March 15 this year. The BAFTAs have a distinctive British touch, featuring a category for Best British Film, with nominees like “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” “Pillion,” “I Swear,” and “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.”
Diversity remains a focal point, with the BAFTAs making efforts to enhance representation. Changes in the voting process have been implemented to ensure a more inclusive selection of nominees. Notably, Chloé Zhao is the sole female nominee in the Best Director category, alongside other talented directors like Paul Thomas Anderson, Josh Safdie, Ryan Coogler, Yorgos Lanthimos for “Bugonia,” and Joachim Trier for “Sentimental Value.” The academy’s commitment to diversity is evident, with 25% of the directing nominees across all categories being women.