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Oppenheimer, a cinematic portrayal of the inception of the atomic bomb, emerged as the front-runner in the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards, securing an unparalleled 13 nominations. This includes an inaugural nomination for Cillian Murphy in a leading role. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film, which has amassed over $1 billion in revenue, has already garnered accolades at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards earlier this month.
With the BAFTAs approaching on February 18, Oppenheimer has positioned itself as a strong contender for the Oscars, slated for March. The film has received BAFTA nominations across several categories, notably for Best Film and for Nolan’s dual roles as director and screenwriter. Additionally, nominations in acting categories include Cillian Murphy as Leading Actor, Emily Blunt as Supporting Actress, and Robert Downey Jr. as Supporting Actor.
Trailing close behind with 11 nominations is Poor Things, a darkly surreal comedy, contending in the Best Film category. Emma Stone’s portrayal of a reanimated Victorian corpse has earned her nods in the acting categories, following her success at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards. Margot Robbie for Barbie, Carey Mulligan for Maestro, Sandra Huller for Anatomy of a Fall, Fantasia Barrino for The Color Purple, and Vivian Oparah for Rye Lane, are among the notable actresses competing against Stone for the coveted awards.
The Best Film category is diverse, featuring Oppenheimer and Poor Things alongside the French courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall, the 1970s-set comedy The Holdovers, and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Despite missing out on individual nominations, Scorsese’s film garnered nine nominations in total. In the Best Director category, Nolan faces competition from Andrew Haigh for All Of Us Strangers, Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall, Alexander Payne for The Holdovers, Bradley Cooper for Maestro, and Jonathan Glazer for The Zone Of Interest, with none having previously won a BAFTA for directing. Bradley Cooper also secured nominations for his bio-pic’s original screenplay and best actor.
The BAFTA shortlist revealed a somewhat disappointing outcome for Barbie, part of the Barbenheimer box office sensation, managing only five nominations. Greta Gerwig’s film, a satirical take on the iconic doll, has yet to achieve major success in this awards season. BAFTA chair Sara Putt praised the nominations, saying, “The selection is very exciting, and I think the key word is variety.” She highlighted the strength of British cinema, noting four out of the top 10 shortlisted films are domestic productions. Additionally, she commended the five British actresses nominated in leading or supporting roles: Blunt, Mulligan, Oparah, Claire Foy and Rosamund Pike. “It’s a good year!” Sara Putt added.
With AFP.
