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The BAFTA longlists were revealed this morning and there are a handful of notable absences and surprises; nothing awards-shattering, but some eye-brow raisers for sure. Below is our run-down.
Round two voting, to determine the nominations, opens today and will close on Tuesday 20 January. The nominations will be announced on Tuesday 27 January and the ceremony will take place on Sunday 22 February.
SNUBS
After The Hunt
After launching on the Lido, Amazon and Luca Guadagnino’s drama scored a Golden Globe nomination for Julia Roberts but pitched a shut-out with BAFTA. Roberts was possibly the films best shot but she didn’t make it onto the ten-strong Best Actress longlist.
The Testament Of Ann Lee
Mona Fastvold’s well-received drama also launched on the Lido and heralds from a team with strong awards credentials behind it. The Brutalist creatives couldn’t replicate their awards magic with BAFTA voters, however, as it was another film to be shut-out entirely. Lead Amanda Seyfried scored a Golden Globe nomination but was another high-profile absentee in the Best Actress category.
Sound Of Falling
Mascha Schilinski’s drama launched to some rave reviews in Cannes where it jointly won the Jury Prize. The film is Germany’s Oscar hopeful in the Best International Film category and has scored eight European Film Awards nominations and has been feted by critics and festivals globally. BAFTA voters didn’t choose the film in a single category.
Anemone
There was much excitement about Daniel Day-Lewis’ return to the big screen in son Ronan’s independent drama backed by Focus. However, the film hasn’t taken off so far at the big awards events. It’s rare for Daniel Day-Lewis not to garner nominations for his performances but Anemone was another shut-out.
The Chronology Of Water
Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut launched at Cannes and has played festivals around the world. The film follows a woman who escapes an abusive childhood into competitive swimming, sexual experimentation, toxic relationships, and addiction before finding her voice through writing.
Lollipop
Brit indie dama Lollipop was a BIFA winner and has garnered support from industry and critics. There were hopes it might cut through with BAFTA voters but it was left out in the cold.
Christy
There were hopes that Sydney Sweeney would get some awards traction for David Michod’s boxing drama but so far the Toronto film hasn’t hit with awards voters.
SURPRISES
The Ballad Of Wallis Island
Universal/Focus’ comedy-drama scored an impressive five longlist entries, including Best Film. The Carey Mulligan starrer, about an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island and tries to make his fantasies come true by getting his favorite musicians to perform at his home, is a word-of-mouth and critical hit. Will it convert come nominations time?
Smashing Machine
After a heralded launch at the Venice Film Festival there were high hopes for the A24 charge, at least for actors Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, who were both Golden Globe nominated. But the film only appears in one BAFTA longlist category: hair and makeup, a disappointing return for a high-profile and not inexpensive movie.
Wicked
The musical sequel did score an impressive eight longlist mentions, but the big surprise at the Globes was its absence from the Best Film categories and BAFTA also omitted the film from its ten entries in the same category.
I Swear & Pillion
These two indie films continue to punch above their weight. Both appear in an impressive six longlist categories, the former making it into Best Film. I Swear was widely nominated at the BIFAs and scored a Best Actor win. Hopes will be high that Robert Aramayo can at least make the cut in the BAFTA Best Actor category come nominations.
Andrea Riseborough
Riseborough continues to excel on the awards stage and makes an appearance on the longlist with the little discussed Brit drama-thriller Dragonfly, which launched at Tribeca but won’t be widely known among readers. Riseborough plays the neighbour of a neglected pensioner in the film, which has garnered some strong reviews, and whose inclusion brings back memories of Riseborough’s much-discussed Oscar nomination for the relatively low-profile indie drama To Leslie.
My Father’s Shadow
The well-received Cannes drama does have one longlist entry but after 12 BIFA nominations (including a best director win) and its selection as the UK’s Oscar hopeful in the Best International Film category, backers will have been hoping for more.
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