Alfonso Cuaron's “Gravity” tops British Academy Film Awards nominations

PanARMENIAN.Net - Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity leads the field with 11 nominations for this year's British Academy Film Awards, presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Cuaron, nominated with his son Jonas Cuaron in the original screenplay category, is nominated for the best director honor, while the space drama's Sandra Bullock is nominated in the leading actress category.

The movie's main challenge on the night will come from Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave and American Hustle, directed by David O. Russell, both of which picked up nominations in 10 categories, including best film, director, screenplay and production design.

The stars of McQueen's no-holds barred slave drama -- Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o -- were all nominated in their respective best acting categories. But Russell's cast -- Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence -- gave his FBI scam drama a nomination in all four actor categories (organizers will hope for a starry red carpet from that film's talent alone).

12 Years also received music, editing and cinematography nominations, which Hustle didn't get. But Hustle earned costume and makeup noms, which 12 Years missed.

McQueen, Cuaron, O. Russell, Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips) and Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street) will duke it out on the evening for the best director trophy.

Challengers to Gravity, Hustle and 12 Years for the evening's best film award come from Captain Phillips and Philomena. In the best actor category, Bale and Ejiofor are challenged by Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street) and Bruce Dern (Nebraska).

And should Adams (American Hustle) and Bullock (Gravity) be beaten to the best actress nod, it will be because Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks), Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) or Judi Dench (Philomena) took the trophy home.

Hanks' nomination for his star turn in Captain Phillips rather than his outing opposite Thompson in Saving Mr. Banks indicates BAFTA voters' ability to surprise.

Julia Roberts (August: Osage County) and Oprah Winfrey (The Butler) alongside Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) will challenge Lawrence (American Hustle) and Nyong'o (12 Years A Slave) in the best supporting actress category.

Daniel Bruhl (Rush) will take on Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), Matt Damon (Behind the Candelabra), Fassbender (12 Years A Slave) and Bradley Cooper (American Hustle) in the race for the best supporting actor award.