BAFTA Awards Nominations were recently announced, giving us an interesting preview of possible trends for the Oscars. As every year, the list of nominees included both pleasant surprises and notable omissions, which sparked heated discussions among critics and film fans.
BAFTA surprises
One of the most talked about aspects of this year's BAFTA nominations was the presence of films and actors who were not considered favorites in the race for the awards. These surprises can represent a significant boost for the respective candidates in the prospect of the Academy Awards, giving them increased visibility and validating the quality of their work in front of an international audience.
Category "Best director” was full of surprises this year, with some notable omissions and unexpected nominations capturing the attention of audiences and film critics alike.
Omission of Martin Scorsese
Although he was not considered a favorite to win, it is worth noting that Martin Scorsese was omitted for his film, "Killers of the Flower Moon". This omission was seen as a major surprise given Scorsese's reputation and the quality of the film.
"Barbie” received only five nominations, although it was included on 15 longlists. More importantly, the movie about the iconic doll was left out of the "Best Film" and "Best Director" categories, though many industry voices considered these categories safe for the biggest film of the year. Greta Gerwig went from a possible triple nomination to just one for "Best Original Screenplay", alongside her partner, Noah Baumbach. It's been a slow but steady decline in the odds of "Barbie" in recent weeks. However, given that both the Golden Globes and BAFTAs are "international" awards compared to the Oscars, hope is not yet lost.
BAFTA surprise: Sandra Hüller
German actress Sandra Hüller scored an impressive double nomination – as Lead Actress for “Anatomy of a Fall” and Supporting Actress for “The Zone of Interest”. Double nominations are rare, but not impossible. However, Hüller is the first actress to be nominated twice for non-English language films. In recent years, there has been a growing trend to favor foreign films in major categories, outside of the "foreign film ghetto". Hüller could benefit from this trend with a possible historic double nomination at next week's Oscars.
The BAFTA ceremony
The BAFTA Awards ceremony will take place on February 18 and will be broadcast on Lionsgate Play. It promises to be an event full of surprises and unforgettable moments, illustrating the current diversity and dynamics of the film industry.
