‘Oppenheimer’ aims for a record haul as stars shine at the British Academy Film Awards

LONDON – Atom-bomb epic “Oppenheimer” may spoil a 53-year-old record at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday if it makes excellent on its field-leading 13 nominations.

Christopher Nolan ’s biopic of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer is up for trophies together with ideal movie, ideal director and ideal actor for big name Cillian Murphy. A excellent evening may see it surpass the record 9 awards gained by means of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” in 1971.

It faces stiff pageant from Gothic fantasia “Poor Things,” which has 11 nominations together with ideal movie, director for Yorgos Lanthimos and actress for Emma Stone. Historical epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Holocaust drama “ The Zone of Interest” have 9 nominations every for the prizes, formally known as the EE BAFTA Film Awards.

“ Barbie,” one part of 2023’s “Barbenheimer” field place of job juggernaut and the yr’s top-grossing movie, has 5 nominations however neglected out on nods for ideal image and ideal director. Many see the omission of “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig — for each the BAFTAs and the Oscars — as a major snub.

The rite, hosted by means of “Doctor Who” star David Tennant, will likely be a glitzy, British-accented appetizer for Hollywood’s Academy Awards, intently watched for hints about who would possibly win at the Oscars on March 10.

Nominees together with Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Rosamund Pike, Ryan Gosling and Ayo Edebiri are anticipated on the purple carpet at London’s Royal Festival Hall, at the side of presenters that come with Andrew Scott, Cate Blanchett, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Idris Elba.

Guest of honor will likely be Prince William, in his function as president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. He’ll be with out his spouse, Kate, who’s recuperating after abdominal surgery closing month.

Other main contenders come with French court docket drama “Anatomy of a Fall,” boarding college coming-of-age drama “The Holdovers” and Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro” — every with seven nominations — and grief-flecked love tale “All of Us Strangers” with six. Barbed class-war comedy “Saltburn ” has 5 nominations.

The ideal movie race pits “Oppenheimer” towards “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Holdovers.”

“Poor Things” may be on the 10-strong listing for the separate class of ideal British movie, an eclectic slate that comes with class-war dramedy “Saltburn,” imperial epic “Napoleon,” south London romcom “Rye Lane” and chocolatier starting place tale “Wonka,” amongst others.

Britain’s movie academy presented adjustments to extend the awards’ range in 2020, when no girls have been nominated as ideal director for the 7th yr working and all 20 nominees in the lead and supporting performer classes have been white. But there is just one girl amongst the six best-director nominees: Justine Triet for “Anatomy of a Fall.” Gerwig, Emerald Fennell for “Saltburn” and Celine Song for star-crossed romance “Past Lives” all did not make the listing.

A lady of colour may take the ideal actress BAFTA for the first time, with Fantasia Barrino for “The Color Purple” and Vivian Oparah for “Rye Lane” nominated along Sandra Hüller for “Anatomy of a Fall,” Mulligan for “Maestro,” Margot Robbie for “Barbie” and Stone for “Poor Things.”

No British performers are nominated in the best-actor class, however Ireland is represented by means of Murphy for “Oppenheimer” and Barry Keoghan for “Saltburn.” They’re up towards Cooper for “Maestro,” Colman Domingo for civil rights biopic “Rustin,” Paul Giamatti for “The Holdovers” and Teo Yoo for “Past Lives.”

Harrowing Ukraine warfare documentary “20 Days in Mariupol,” produced by means of The Associated Press and PBS “Frontline,” is nominated for ideal documentary and ideal movie now not in the English language.

The rite is ready to incorporate musical performances by means of “Ted Lasso” big name Hannah Waddingham and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the latter making a song her 2001 hit “Murder on the Dancefloor,” which shot again up the charts after that includes in “Saltburn.”

Samantha Morton will obtain the academy’s best honor, the BAFTA Fellowship, and movie curator June Givanni, founding father of the June Givanni PanAfrican Cinema Archive, will likely be commemorated for remarkable British contribution to cinema.

Sunday’s rite will likely be broadcast on BBC One in the U.Ok. from 1900GMT, and on streaming carrier BritBox in the U.S., Canada, Australia and South Africa.