ANCHOR STORY

‘Nomadland’, ‘Rocks’ lead BAFTA nominations

U.S. recession drama “Nomadland” and coming-of-age story “Rocks” led the nominations for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards on Tuesday with seven nods each.There was a clear push on diversity among the acting contenders following an outcry last year.

Family drama “The Father”, Hollywood throwback “Mank”, #MeToo revenge movie “Promising Young Woman” and Korean-language “Minari” followed with six nominations each at Britain’s top movie honours.

Four of the six best director nominees were women, including Chloe Zhao for “Nomadland” and Sarah Gavron for “Rocks”.

More than half of the 24 nominees were actors of colour – a huge change to last year when BAFTA revealed an all-white acting contenders list, sparking an online outcry with the hashtag #BaftasSoWhite trending on social media.

This year’s leading actor nominees include Riz Ahmed for his portrayal of a heavy metal drummer going deaf in “Sound of Metal” and the late Chadwick Boseman for his role in 1920s jazz drama “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”.

Leading actress nominees include BukkyBakray for “Rocks” and Frances McDormand for “Nomadland”.

Changing contours

Last year’s backlash led BAFTA to conduct a wide-ranging review resulting in expanded membership, a new longlist voting round and an increase in all four acting categories and best director to six nominees from five.

“It was about levelling the playing field,” BAFTA Chief Executive Amanda Berry said.

The other best film contenders are 1960s Vietnam War protest drama “The Trial of the Chicago” 7″, “Promising Young Woman”, “The Father” and Guantanamo Bay movie “The Mauritanian”.

Nominations for “Rocks” include outstanding British film, original screenplay and supporting actress for Kosar Ali.Completing the leading actor category are AdarshGourav for “The White Tiger”, Anthony Hopkins for “The Father”, MadsMikkelsen for “Another Round” and Tahar Rahim for “The Mauritanian”.

The other leading actress contenders are Radha Blank for “The Forty-Year-Old Version”, Vanessa Kirby for “Pieces of a Woman”, WunmiMosaku for “His House” and Alfre Woodard for “Clemency”.

The BAFTAs will take place virtually from London’s Royal Albert Hall next month. Berry said there would be two shows over two nights, with more details to follow in coming weeks. – Reuters

‘It’s surreal’

…saysAdarshGourav on bagging leading actor BAFTA nod

It is a “surreal” moment for AdarshGourav, who has bagged the leading actor BAFTA nomination for his performance in “The White Tiger”.

On Tuesday, the 26-year-old actor was announced as one of the nominees in the category alongside seasoned names like Riz Ahmed (“Sound Of Metal”), late Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), MadsMikkelsen (“Another Round”), Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”) and Tahar Rahim (“The Mauritanian”.

“This is unbelievable. It is surreal… I was at the gym. I just found out about the nomination,” Gourav, whose previous credits include “My Name is Khan” and “Mom”, said.

Based on AravindAdiga’s Booker Prize winning novel of the same name, “The White Tiger” chronicles the extraordinary journey of a driver named Balram (Gourav).

Directed by RaminBahrani, the film follows Balram’s rise from a poor villager to a successful entrepreneur in India, showcasing how hunger and lack of opportunity can build and drive a human being’s animal instinct of survival.

Gourav said his phone hasn’t stopped buzzing since the nominations were announced.

“I saw my phone and there were a lot of messages on ‘The White Tiger’ WhatsApp group and PoojaGupte, the DOP called me. This is so unexpected and overwhelming,” he added. – PTI