Britain has patiently, politely endured while America’s roughhewn labor guilds arranged the names of the year’s best films in crushed Coors Light cans, but now it is their turn to assess 2013’s finest cinema—as decided by BAFTA and the gurgling decrees of Prince George.
Thanks to the involvement of English producer David Heyman, Gravity edged out the leading spot with 11 total nominations that included Best Film and Outstanding British Film, though it’s closely followed by 12 Years A Slave and American Hustle with 10 nominations apiece. And those nominations include acting nods for every single one of American Hustle’s principals, confirming that even the Queen would be charmed by Amy Adams’ British accent.
In fact, other than Philomena and some recognition for the British production Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, it was a year entirely dominated by American stories—primarily stories of torment and excess, though BAFTA stopped just short of naming the epitome of that, The Wolf Of Wall Street, as a Best Film contender. (Nevertheless, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Terence Winter, and Thelma Schoonmaker all got recognition.) Among the deviations from the Colonies: Behind The Candelabra—which got a UK theatrical release—racked up several nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Matt Damon, while Oprah Winfrey’s performance in The Butler was also singled out for praise. Although, this may have just been royal gas.
The BAFTA Awards will air on BBC America on February 16. Here is the complete list of nominees, which you should print out on a long scroll and bellow at the chime of noon:
BEST FILM
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Philomena
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Gravity
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom
Philomena
Rush
Saving Mr. Banks
The Selfish Giant
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Colin Carberry and Glenn Patterson (writers), Good Vibrations
Kelly Marcel (writer), Saving Mr. Banks
Kieran Evans (writer/director), Kelly + Victor
Paul Wright (writer/director), Polly Stokes (producer), For Those In Peril
Scott Graham (writer/director), Shell
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Act Of Killing
Blue Is The Warmest Colour
The Great Beauty
Metro Manila
Wadjda
DOCUMENTARY
The Act Of Killing
The Armstrong Lie
Blackfish
Tim’s Vermeer
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