The Japan Times - 'One Battle After Another' and 'Sinners' top BAFTA nods

"One Battle After Another", an offbeat thriller set against a wild backdrop of radical violence, immigration raids and white supremacists, earned 14 BAFTA nods, including for the coveted best film award.

Vampire period music-infused horror film "Sinners" followed close behind with 13 and will also vie for best film, less than a week after it smashed the all-time Oscars record for nominations with 16 selections.

"One Battle After Another" enters the Oscars best film race in second place after it garnered 13 nods in the Academy shortlist for the March 15 awards to be held in Hollywood.

The BAFTAs, the highlight of the annual British film calendar, will be held in London on February 22, three weeks before the Oscars.

This year's selection process stood out for "bold storytelling and unique takes" on everything from the geopolitical landscape to more personal stories, BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip, told AFP.

"A lot of filmmakers have not pulled their punches on quite big subjects," she said, noting in particular "Sinners", "One Battle After Another" and "Bugonia".

But she also commended "a group of really intimate, and personal films" including "Hamnet", "I Swear" and "Sentimental Value".

"Hamnet", a period drama in which William Shakespeare and his wife struggle to cope with the loss of their son in plague-ravaged Elizabethan England, secured 11 BAFTA nominations and will also compete for best film.

Timothee Chalamet's ping-pong drama "Marty Supreme" also snagged 11 nods, including in the best film category, while Norwegian dramedy "Sentimental Value" bagged eight nominations and is the final of the five BAFTA best film contenders.

Although "Sinners" topped the Oscars nominations, "One Battle" was still strongly favoured in this year's awards season, having won almost every precursor prize so far this awards season.

It reigned supreme at the Golden Globes earlier this month, winning best comedy, best director, best screenplay and best supporting actress, while "Hamnet" sprung a surprise by taking best drama film, beating out "Sinners".

- 'Really rich year' -

At the BAFTAs, Yorgos Lanthimos ("Bugonia"), Chloe Zhao ("Hamnet"), Josh Safdie ("Marty Supreme"), Paul Thomas Anderson ("One Battle After Another"), Joachim Trier ("Sentimental Value") and Ryan Coogler ("Sinners") will compete for best director.

The leading actor shortlist features Leonardo DiCaprio ("One Battle After Another"), Michael B. Jordan ("Sinners"), Chalamet ("Marty Supreme"), Ethan Hawke ("Blue Moon"), Jesse Plemons ("Bugonia") and Robert Aramayo ("I Swear").

As with the Oscars, Paul Mescal missed out on a nomination for his "Hamnet" performance.

Meanwhile, Oscar contender Jessie Buckley ("Hamnet"), Emma Stone ("Bugonia"), Chase Infiniti ("One Battle After Another"), Kate Hudson ("Song Sung Blue"), Renate Reinsve ("Sentimental Value") and Rose Byrne ("If I Had Legs I'd Kick You") will vie for the leading actress gong.

"I Swear" -- based on a true story about a Scottish man whose life was irrevocably changed by Tourette's syndrome -- was the most nominated British film, with five nods.

"It's a really rich year and a fantastic year for British talents too," Millichip said.

K.Yoshida--JT