2018 BAFTA Film Awards roundup: ‘Shape of Water’ and ‘Three Billboards’ lead nominations

The nominees for the BAFTA Film Awards have been revealed ahead of the prestigious ceremony, set to take place on February 18. With Hollywood and the entertainment industry reeling in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal, the organizers behind this year’s event have promised to rid the British film and television industries of all “pernicious” practices. It’s an interesting vision, one we’re hoping is fulfilled.

The departure of Stephen Fry is a sad affair, but the wonderful Joanna Lumley will be taking over hosting duties in his absence. What about the nominations, though? There’s a stack of surprises and snubs inbound. Let’s dig on into them.

Leading the pack with a whopping total of twelve nominations, Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is picking up some serious steam ahead of the OscaBest Costume Designrs, having performed well at the Golden Globes. The film has been nominated for Best Film, Original Screenplay and Best Director, while Sally Hawkins has landed a nomination for Leading Actress.

Christopher Nolan’s war-epic Dunkirk is due to go head-to-head with the fish-fest monster-romance spectacular, before competing against Blade Runner 2049 in the technical categories. It’ll be a close one to call, but Hoyte Van Hoytema (Dunkirk) and Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2049) will compete for the Best Cinematography prize. Can Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi sequel take home some glory? Perhaps.

There’s sure to be plenty of heated discussion over which leading man will take home the highly-coveted golden mask. Gary Oldman, hot off his Golden Globe win for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour, is set to face off against retiring legend Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread). Timothée Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name), Jamie Bell (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool), and Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out) round out the competition for the award.

The competition is equally tough in the women’s category too. Frances McDormand, having already won big at the Golden Globes for her portrayal of a grieving mother in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri would be a potentially safe bet. Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird) and Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) are also in the running. But, could Sally Hawkins scoop this one up for her stunning performance in The Shape of Water? Time will tell.

Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project) and Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) have received nominations in the Supporting Actor category. British heartthrob Hugh Grant is also in the running for this one, having secured a nod for his performance in Paddington 2, rescued by Warner Bros. Pictures back in November. Christopher Plummer, who director Ridley Scott brought in to replace the disgraced Kevin Spacey, has snagged a nomination for All the Money in the World. He didn’t win at the Golden Globes, but the nomination was a tad cheeky in the first place.

Elsewhere, Allison Janney (I, Tonya) will be competing against Kristin Scott Thomas (Darkest Hour), Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird), Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread) and Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water) for the Leading Actress gong. Janney, who beat out the competition at the Globes, is looking like the frontrunner at this point.

It’s the Original Screenplay category that’s the one to watch, though. Jordan Peele’s Get Out has snagged a nomination, following its recent snub at the Golden Globes. The competition is fierce, with the breakout indie hit due to go up against the likes of Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

As with the Golden Globes, all nominees for the Best Director award were, once again, all male. It’s a tad disappointing, and another instance of Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut Lady Bird being snubbed.

Full list of nominees and categories below:

Best Film

Call Me By Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
The Shape Of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Outstanding British Film

Darkest Hour
The Death of Stalin
God’s Own Country
Lady Macbeth
Paddington 2
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Director

Blade Runner 2049 – Denis Villeneuve
Call Me by Your Name – Luca Guadagnino
Dunkirk – Christopher Nolan
The Shape Of Water – Guillermo Del Toro
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Martin McDonagh

Best Leading Actress

Annette Bening – Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool
Frances McDormand – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie – I, Tonya
Sally Hawkins – The Shape Of Water
Saoirse Ronan – Lady Bird

Best Leading Actor

Daniel Day-Lewis – Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya – Get Out
Gary Oldman – Darkest Hour
Jamie Bell – Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool
Timothée Chalamet – Call Me by Your Name

Best Supporting Actress

Allison Janney – I, Tonya
Kristin Scott Thomas – Darkest Hour
Laurie Metcalf – Lady Bird
Lesley Manville – Phantom Thread
Octavia Spencer – The Shape Of Water

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer – All The Money In The World
Hugh Grant – Paddington 2
Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Willem Dafoe – The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

EE Rising Star Award (voted for by the public)

Daniel Kaluuya
Florence Pugh
Josh O’Connor
Tessa Thompson
Timothée Chalamet

Best Original Screenplay

Get Out
I, Tonya
Lady Bird
The Shape Of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Adapted Screenplay

Call Me by Your Name
The Death Of Stalin
Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool
Molly’s Game
Paddington 2

Best Original Music

Blade Runner 2049 – Benjamin Wallfisch, Hans Zimmer
Darkest Hour – Dario Marianelli
Dunkirk – Hans Zimmer
Phantom Thread – Jonny Greenwood
The Shape Of Water – Alexandre Desplat

Best Cinematography

Blade Runner 2049 – Roger Deakins
Darkest Hour – Bruno Delbonnel
Dunkirk – Hoyte Van Hoytema
The Shape of Water – Dan Laustsen
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Ben Davis

Best Editing

Baby Driver – Jonathan Amos, Paul Machliss
Blade Runner 2049 – Joe Walker
Dunkirk – Lee Smith
The Shape Of Water – Sidney Wolinsky
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Jon Gregory

Best Production and Design

Beauty And The Beast – Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Blade Runner 2049 – Dennis Gassner, Alessandra Querzola
Darkest Hour – Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
Dunkirk – Nathan Crowley, Gary Fettis
The Shape Of Water – Paul Austerberry, Jeff Melvin, Shane Vieau

Best Costume Design

Beauty And The Beast – Jacqueline Durran
Darkest Hour – Jacqueline Durran
I, Tonya – Jennifer Johnson
Phantom Thread – Mark Bridges
The Shape Of Water – Luis Sequeira

Best Makeup and Hair

Blade Runner 2049 – Donald Mowat, Kerry Warn
Darkest Hour – David Malinowski, Ivana Primorac, Lucy Sibbick, Kazuhiro Tsuji
I, Tonya – Deborah La Mia Denaver, Adruitha Lee
Victoria & Abdul – Daniel Phillips
Wonder – Naomi Bakstad, Robert A Pandini, Arjen Tuiten

Best Sound

Baby Driver – Tim Cavagin, Mary H. Ellis, Julian Slater
Blade Runner 2049 – Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill, Mark Mangini, Mac Ruth
Dunkirk – Richard King, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo, Mark Weingarten
The Shape Of Water – Christian Cooke, Glen Gauthier, Nathan Robitaille, Brad Zoern
Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Ren Klyce, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Stuart Wilson, Matthew Wood

Best Special Visual Effects

Blade Runner 2049 – Gerd Nefzer, John Nelson
Dunkirk – Scott Fisher, Andrew Jackson
The Shape Of Water – Dennis Berardi, Trey Harrell, Kevin Scott
Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Nominees TBC
War For The Planet Of The Apes – Nominees TBC

British short animation

Have Heart
Mamoon
Poles Apart

British short film

Aamir
Cowboy Dave
A Drowning Man
Work
Wren Boys