This year's Bafta film nominations, to be announced on Wednesday morning, are expected to feature a mix of Hollywood blockbusters and British talent. Leading contenders for best film include space thriller Gravity and harrowing drama 12 Years a Slave, both of which have dominated awards speculation for months.
Film critic Mark Kermode highlighted Gravity's blend of international stars and British expertise, noting it was shot at Shepperton and Pinewood with effects by London's Framestore. Other hopefuls for best film include Saving Mr Banks, Captain Phillips, and Philomena, the true story of an Irish woman searching for her adopted son.
This year, the category for outstanding British film will have six nominees instead of five. Likely contenders include Philomena, Gravity, and Saving Mr Banks. Producer Harvey Weinstein praised Philomena's director Stephen Frears as 'one of England's greatest directors' but worried he might be overlooked due to the film's understated style.
Independent films such as Broken, Metro Manila, Sunshine on Leith, and Filth are also in the running. Kermode expressed hope for The Selfish Giant and Good Vibrations, though he doubted the latter had reached a wide audience. The nominations will be decided by over 6,500 Bafta members, with a second voting round starting after the announcement.
