I have honestly never heard of the “Baftas” (British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards), the British Oscars. I mean, I knew the British must have an Oscars, but I didn’t know what they were called, nor have I ever taken note of them. But I am trying to expand my personal purview to the global, or at least trans-Anglo, so here’s the BBC on the Baftas:
- Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are due in London on Sunday for the Baftas, the UK entertainment world’s most prestigious night of the year.
Among the A-list actors expected on the red carpet are Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Scarlett Johansson and Renee Zellweger.
US civil war epic Cold Mountain leads the field with 13 nominations, followed by The Return of the King which has 12.
….Other stars expected at The Odeon cinema in London’s Leicester Square include Holly Hunter, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Linney, Sir Ian McKellen, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson, Naomi Watts and Tim Robbins.
Directors due to attend include Cold Mountain’s Anthony Minghella and Rings maestro Peter Jackson, as well as Tim Burton, Sofia Coppola and Richard Curtis.
….Challenging Cold Mountain and the third Lord of the Rings movie for best film are Peter Weir’s epic seafaring tale Master and Commander, starring Russell Crowe; Sofia Coppola’s low-key comedy Lost in Translation featuring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson; and the Tim Burton fantasy Big Fish, starring Ewan McGregor.
….Unusually, Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson have two nominations each in the best actor and actress categories
Penn is nominated for his roles in dramas Mystic River and 21 Grams, and is up against Benicio Del Toro, Bill Murray and Johnny Depp.
Newcomer Johansson, 19, is shortlisted for Girl with a Pearl Earring and Lost in Translation.
Also up for best actress are Anne Reid for The Mother, Naomi Watts for 21 Grams and Uma Thurman for Kill Bill.
The nominations are:
Best Film
Nominees:
Big Fish (2003)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the Year
Nominees:
Cold Mountain (2003)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
In This World (2002)
Love Actually (2003)
Touching the Void (2003)
Best Actor
Nominees:
Benicio Del Toro for 21 Grams (2003)
Johnny Depp for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Jude Law for Cold Mountain (2003)
Bill Murray for Lost in Translation (2003)
Sean Penn for 21 Grams (2003)
Sean Penn for Mystic River (2003)
Best Actress
Nominees:
Scarlett Johansson for Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Scarlett Johansson for Lost in Translation (2003)
Anne Reid for Mother, The (2003/I)
Uma Thurman for Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Naomi Watts for 21 Grams (2003)
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees:
Paul Bettany for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Albert Finney for Big Fish (2003)
Ian McKellen for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Bill Nighy for Love Actually (2003)
Tim Robbins for Mystic River (2003)
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees:
Holly Hunter for Thirteen (2003)
Laura Linney for Mystic River (2003)
Judy Parfitt for Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Emma Thompson for Love Actually (2003)
Renée Zellweger for Cold Mountain (2003)
David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction
Nominees:
Tim Burton for Big Fish (2003)
Sofia Coppola for Lost in Translation (2003)
Peter Jackson for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Anthony Minghella for Cold Mountain (2003)
Peter Weir for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Best Screenplay (Original)
Nominees:
21 Grams (2003) – Guillermo Arriaga
Invasions barbares, Les (2003) – Denys Arcand
Finding Nemo (2003) – Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds
Lost in Translation (2003) – Sofia Coppola
Station Agent, The (2003) – Thomas McCarthy
Best Screenplay (Adapted)
Nominees:
Big Fish (2003) – John August
Cold Mountain (2003) – Anthony Minghella
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) – Olivia Hetreed
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) – Peter Jackson, Frances Walsh, Philippa Boyens
Mystic River (2003) – Brian Helgeland
Best Production Design
Nominees:
Big Fish (2003)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Best Cinematography
Nominees:
Cold Mountain (2003)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Best Costume Design
Nominees:
Cold Mountain (2003)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Best Sound
Nominees:
Cold Mountain (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Best Editing
Nominees:
21 Grams (2003)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Lost in Translation (2003)
Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects
Nominees:
Big Fish (2003)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Best Make Up/Hair
Nominees:
Big Fish (2003)
Cold Mountain (2003)
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
Nominees:
Cold Mountain (2003) – Gabriel Yared
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) – Alexandre Desplat
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) – RZA
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) – Howard Shore
Lost in Translation (2003) – Kevin Shields
Best Film not in the English Language
Nominees:
Good bye, Lenin! (2003)
In This World (2002)
Invasions barbares, Les (2003)
Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
Triplettes de Belleville, Les (2003)
Être et avoir (2002)
Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer
Nominees:
Sergio Casci for American Cousins (2003) (writer)
Jenny Mayhew for To Kill a King (2003) (writer)
Peter Webber for Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) (director)
Emily Young for Kiss of Life (2003) (writer/director)
Best Short Animation
Nominees:
Dad’s Dead (2002) (TV)
Dear Sweet Emma (2003)
Jojo in the Stars (2003)
Nibbles (2003)
Plumber (2003)
Best Short Film
Nominees:
Brown Paper Bag (2003)
Bye-Child (2003)
Talking with Angels (2003)