Baftas begin with migration saga 'Nomadland' among favourites

UK cinema´s Bafta awards began on Sunday, billed as the academy´s most diverse ever following criticism over all-white 2020 shortlists, and with migration saga "Nomadland", among the favourites.

Krishnendu Majumdar, the academy´s chair, stressed the efforts made by Bafta to diversify saying "changes to the awards to level the playing field" had been brought in following a seven-month review.

Four women have been nominated for best director at this year´s awards where last year none made the shortlist. Films with actors from diverse communities around the world have featured prominently in the coveted best film category.

Broadcast at 7:00pm (1800 GMT) from London´s Albert Hall without an audience because of coronavirus restrictions, the awards went ahead despite a period of national mourning for the death of Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, on Friday.

Prince William, Philip´s grandson and second in line to the British throne, earlier announced he would not participate in the awards as previously planned.

Among the first awards announced was the Bafta for best screenplay which went to French writer and director Florian Zeller for "The Father", starring Anthony Hopkins as an elderly man struggling with dementia.

Director Chloe Zhao´s poignant film "Nomadland", about modern-day migrants travelling across the United States, is nominated in the coveted best film and best director categories.

Two-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand is also nominated for best actress.

- Nominated films -

"Nomadland" is shortlisted in the best film category alongside "The Father" and "The Mauritanian", telling the story of Guantanamo Bay prisoner´s fight for freedom.

"Promising Young Woman", a dark, feminist comedy, and Aaron Sorkin´s courtroom drama "The Trial of the Chicago 7" complete the nominees.

With a total of seven nominations including best director, best cast and best original screenplay, director Sarah Gavron´s "Rocks" could be a homegrown sensation at the awards.

The coming-of-age drama, which shows the struggles of a British-Nigerian schoolgirl abandoned by her mother, has been praised by critics for its depiction of life in the British capital.

Actress Bukky Bakray, 19, who has garnered a best actress nomination for her role as the film´s eponymous heroine, said audiences had connected with her performance and the film because of their authenticity.

"It captures what most people have always felt but never truly seen on screen. I´m really proud and honoured to have captured truth and honesty," she told AFP.

"Mank", a depiction of a debauched real-life screenwriter set during Hollywood´s golden age, and "Minari", the portrayal of a South Korean family trying to make a life in rural America, have also received six nominations each, along with "The Father" and "Promising Young Woman".

- Greater diversity -

After last year´s awards were criticised for not including any non-white actors in the four major categories for the first time, the British academy has introduced an extra round of voting in all categories to strive for greater diversity.

The best actor shortlist includes, French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim, Indian actor Adarsh Gourav, black American actor Chadwick Boseman, who died last year, and British actor Riz Ahmed -- also the first Muslim to be nominated for an Oscar.

Double Oscar-winning director Ang Lee, perhaps best known for "Brokeback Mountain", "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and "Life of Pi" will receive the prestigious Bafta Academy Fellowship on Sunday evening.

On Saturday, "Ma Rainey´s Black Bottom", a film about a blues musician in 1920s Chicago, took home two technical Baftas for costume design and make-up and hair.

"Rocks" and "Mank" also bagged a prize each for casting and production design respectively as the awards were split over two nights for the first time.

Other winners in the technical awards included Christopher Nolan´s science fiction action-thriller "Tenet" for special visual effects and "Sound of Metal," starring British actor Riz Ahmed, for sound...AFP