London Film Critics Awards Nominations

“Nothing is pushing forward currently as a runaway favourite on the way to the Oscars, even though we’ve given The Favourite 10 nominations,” one critic told me at the London Film Critics Awards nominations luncheon held on 18^th December at the Mayfair hotel. However, another guest, an actress was more forthright ‘watch Roma sweep the board,’ she said confidently of Alfonso Cuaron’s latest which has had critics and fans sobbing at both the story and the sheer beauty of the film.

The two views pretty much sum up the awards situation as it stands. Although The Favourite is pulling away from the other contenders as a front runner, it’s not yet the only one to beat and Roma does have enough fans to be a multiple winner potentially.

Otherwise the London critics cast their nominations net wide, taking in box office flop First Man, the somewhat stodgy and cerebral story of Neil Armstrong which many say should have been heroic and arousing to be a real  awards runner and The Happy prince, Rupert Everett’s overlooked passion project among the more obvious choices.

The Favourite leads the pack as it did at the BIFA awards but You Were Never Really Here evoked the most passionate support among those I spoke to at the ceremony. Cold War is definitely the dark horse of this awards season and don’t be surprised if First Reformed picks up a gong or two for Ethan Hawke at the smaller ceremonies. Widows is a surprise multiple nominee and the charming Stan and Ollie really isn’t making waves as it should be. A Star is Born, missing here is certainly going to be a big contender elsewhere as is Mary Poppins Returns.

After the nominations we enjoyed screenings of all the short film nominees and from a strong list, I’d go for 2Little Shit,” by Richard Gorodecky

Full list of nominees.

Film of the Year
“BlacKkKlansman”
“Cold War”
“The Favourite”
“First Man”
“First Reformed”
“The Happy Prince”
“Leave No Trace”
“Roma”
“Shoplifters”
“You Were Never Really Here”

Foreign Language Film of the Year
“Cold War”
“A Fantastic Woman”
“120 Beats Per Minute”
“Roma”
“Shoplifters”

Documentary of the Year
“Faces Places”
“McQueen”
“They Shall Not Grow Old”
“Three Identical Strangers”
“Whitney”

British/Irish Film of the Year: The Attenborough Award
“Apostasy”
“Beast”
“The Favourite”
“The Happy Prince”
“You Were Never Really Here”

Director of the Year
Pawel Pawlikowski, “Cold War”
Yorgos Lanthimos, “The Favourite”
Debra Granik, “Leave No Trace”
Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma”
Lynne Ramsay, “You Were Never Really Here”

Screenwriter of the Year
Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, “The Favourite”
Paul Schrader, “First Reformed”
Barry Jenkins, “If Beale Street Could Talk”
Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma”
Steve McQueen and Gillian Flynn, “Widows”

Actress of the Year
Yalitza Aparicio, “Roma”
Glenn Close, “The Wife”
Toni Collette, “Hereditary”
Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”
Joanna Kulig, “Cold War”

Actor of the Year
Christian Bale, “Vice”
Rupert Everett, “The Happy Prince”
Ben Foster, “Leave No Trace”
Ethan Hawke, “First Reformed”
Joaquin Phoenix, “You Were Never Really Here”

Supporting Actress of the Year
Elizabeth Debicki, “Widows”
Cynthia Erivo, “Bad Times at the El Royale”
Claire Foy, “First Man”
Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk”
Rachel Weisz, “The Favourite”

Supporting Actor of the Year
Adam Driver, “BlacKkKlansman”
Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Michael B. Jordan, “Black Panther”
Daniel Kaluuya, “Widows”
Alessandro Nivola, “Disobedience”

British/Irish Actress of the Year
Emily Blunt, “Mary Poppins Returns,” “A Quiet Place,” “Sherlock Gnomes”
Jessie Buckley, “Beast”
Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”
Claire Foy, “First Man,” “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” “Unsane”
Rachel Weisz, “Disobedience,” “The Favourite”

British/Irish Actor of the Year
Christian Bale, “Mowgli,” “Vice”
Steve Coogan, “Holmes & Watson,” “Ideal Home,” “Stan & Ollie”
Rupert Everett, “The Happy Prince”
Richard E. Grant, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms”
Daniel Kaluuya, “Black Panther,” “Widows”

Young British/Irish Performer of the Year
Liv Hill, “Jellyfish,” “The Little Stranger”
Noah Jupe, “Holmes & Watson,” “A Quiet Place,” “That Good Night,” “The Titan”
Anya Taylor-Joy, “Glass,” “The Secret of Marrowbone,” “Thoroughbreds”
Fionn Whitehead, “The Children Act”
Molly Wright, “Apostasy”

Breakthrough British/Irish Filmmaker of the Year: The Philip French Award
Deborah Davis, “The Favourite”
Rupert Everett, “The Happy Prince”
Deborah Haywood, “Pin Cushion”
Daniel Kokotajlo, “Apostasy”
Michael Pearce, “Beast”

British/Irish Short Film of the Year
“Little Shit,” Richard Gorodecky
“Night Out,” Amelia Hashemi
“Salt & Sauce,” Alia Ghafar
“Three Centimetres,” Lara Zeidan
“Under Growth,” Evin O’Neill

Technical Achievement of the Year
“American Animals” – editing, Nick Fenton, Chris Gill & Julian Hart
“BlacKkKlansman” – costume design, Marci Rodgers
“Cold War” – cinematography, Lukasz Zal
“The Favourite” – production design, Fiona Crombie
“First Man” – visual effects, Paul Lambert
“If Beale Street Could Talk” – music, Nicholas Britell
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” – stunts, Wade Eastwood
“A Quiet Place” – sound design, Ethan Van der Ryn & Erik Aadahl
“Suspiria” – music, Thom Yorke
“You Were Never Really Here” – editing, Joe Bini