Paul Thomas Anderson’s politically themed action movie “One Battle After Another” is leading the race for the British Academy Film Awards after securing 14 nominations, including acting nods for five cast members. Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic “Sinners” follows closely with 13 nominations, while Chloe Zhao’s family tragedy “Hamnet” and Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” each received 11 nominations. Guillermo Del Toro’s reimagining of “Frankenstein” and the Norwegian drama “Sentimental Value” also made a mark with eight nominations each, making them 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.” BAFTA chief executive Jane Millichip praised the recognition of films like “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” for addressing significant societal issues and Black identity, as well as exploring intimate family relationships in other films.
Among the leading actor contenders are Robert Aramayo for his role in “I Swear,” Timothée Chalamet in “Marty Supreme,” Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another,” Ethan Hawke in “Blue Moon,” Michael B. Jordan in “Sinners,” and Jesse Plemons in “Bugonia.” The leading actress category includes performances by Jessie Buckley in “Hamnet,” Rose Byrne in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” Kate Hudson in “Song Sung Blue,” Chase Infiniti in “One Battle After Another,” Renate Reinsve in “Sentimental Value,” and Emma Stone in “Bugonia.”
Supporting actors from “One Battle After Another” including Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn have all received nominations. The Associated Press was recognized in the best documentary category for “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” a Ukraine war portrait co-produced by AP and PBS Frontline.
The winners will be revealed at the ceremony on Feb. 22 in London, hosted by actor Alan Cumming. The BAFTA Film Awards are known to provide hints about the potential winners at the Hollywood Academy Awards. Notably, this year, the Oscar nominations were announced before the BAFTAs, with “Sinners” leading with 16 nominations, followed by “One Battle After Another.”
The BAFTAs have also acknowledged performers not recognized by the Oscars, including supporting actor nominees Paul Mescal for “Hamnet” and Odessa A’zion for “Marty Supreme.” The awards feature a British film category with nominees such as “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” “Pillion,” “I Swear,” and “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.”
The BAFTA winners are selected by industry professionals, with the Rising Star Award chosen through public vote. The nominees for this year’s rising star award include Infiniti, Aramayo, Miles Caton from “Sinners,” and British actors Archie Madekwe and Posy Sterling.
In recent years, the British film academy has made efforts to promote diversity in its awards. Changes were implemented after the absence of female director nominees and lack of diversity in the acting categories in 2020. This year, Chloe Zhao is the only female nominee in the best director category, highlighting efforts to increase gender diversity and representation in the awards.
