So, it’s that time of year again. The BAFTAs will be announced on Sunday February 18th, and event hosted by David Tennant who is always good value. So here are my predictions as to who will get the trophy and who I think should get the trophy. As always, I’ll update this with the actual results after the event.
(Post now updated with the results and some additional comments in red. I scored 16/25 or 64% which isn’t too bad, and I’ve got 100% of the major categories right. Very happy with that!)
(Films marked with asterisks are ones that I have still to see).
BEST FILM
ANATOMY OF A FALL Marie-Ange Luciani, David Thion
THE HOLDOVERS Mark Johnson
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Dan Friedkin, Daniel Lupi, Martin Scorsese, Bradley Thomas
OPPENHEIMER Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas
POOR THINGS Ed Guiney, Yorgos Lanthimos, Andrew Lowe, Emma Stone
- Will Win: Oppenheimer
- Should Win: Oppenheimer
- Did Win: Oppenheimer
I have a lot of love for “Poor Things” in this category. But I will hold faith and go with my number one film of 2023.
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
ALL OF US STRANGERS Andrew Haigh, Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey
HOW TO HAVE SEX Molly Manning Walker, Emily Leo, Ivana MacKinnon, Konstantinos Kontovrakis
NAPOLEON Ridley Scott, Mark Huffam, Kevin J. Walsh, David Scarpa
THE OLD OAK* Ken Loach, Rebecca O’Brien, Paul Laverty
POOR THINGS Yorgos Lanthimos, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Emma Stone, Tony McNamara
RYE LANE Raine Allen-Miller, Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo, Damian Jones, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia
SALTBURN Emerald Fennell, Josey McNamara, Margot Robbie
SCRAPPER Charlotte Regan, Theo Barrowclough
WONKA Paul King, Alexandra Derbyshire, David Heyman, Simon Farnaby
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Jonathan Glazer, James Wilson, Ewa Puszczyńska
- Will Win: Poor Things
- Should Win: All Of Us Strangers
- Did Win: The Zone of Interest
That’s a cracking list of films I have to say and there are lots of movies I would be delighted for the award to go to. I suspect this will be a “Poor Things” win, but for me the masterpiece amongst them is “All Of Us Strangers”.
Oh, I’m afraid this is one of the few that I do very much disagree with.
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
BLUE BAG LIFE* Lisa Selby (Director), Rebecca Lloyd-Evans (Director, Producer), Alex Fry (Producer)
BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT* Christopher Sharp (Director) [also directed Moses Bwayo]
EARTH MAMA* Savanah Leaf (Writer, Director, Producer), Shirley O’Connor (Producer), Medb Riordan (Producer)
HOW TO HAVE SEX Molly Manning Walker (Writer, Director)
IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?* Ella Glendining (Director)
- Will Win: How to Have Sex.
- Should Win: How to Have Sex.
- Did Win: Earth Mama.
I’m very short-sighted in this category, but I would love it if Molly Manning Walker won it here just because the film is a) so good and b) important.
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL* Mstyslav Chernov, Raney Aronson Rath
ANATOMY OF A FALL Justine Triet, Marie-Ange Luciani, David Thion
PAST LIVES Celine Song, David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW J.A. Bayona, Belen Atienza
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Jonathan Glazer, PGA
- Will Win: Anatomy of a Fall
- Should Win: Past Lives
- Did Win: The Zone of Interest
Hmm… this seems to be a three-way tussle between Anatomy of a Fall, Past Lives and The Zone of Interest. I think it could go either which way, but “Past Lives” seems to have been criminally neglected in the awards season so my “Should Win” is more out of hope than expectation.
Hurumph!
DOCUMENTARY
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL* Mstyslav Chernov, Raney Aronson Rath
AMERICAN SYMPHONY* Matthew Heineman, Lauren Domino, Joedan Okun
BEYOND UTOPIA* Madeleine Gavin, Rachel Cohen, Jana Edelbaum
STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE Davis Guggenheim, Jonathan King, Annetta Marion
WHAM!* Chris Smith
- Will Win: 20 Days in Mariupol
- Should Win: ?
- Did Win: 20 Days in Mariupol
I’m so short sighted on these documentaries that I’m not going to suggest a “Should Win”. “Mariupol” seems to have been getting the most buzz.
ANIMATED FILM
THE BOY AND THE HERON* Hayao Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki
CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET Sam Fell, Leyla Hobart, Steve Pegram
ELEMENTAL Peter Sohn, Denise Ream
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Avi Arad, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Christina Steinberg
- Will Win: The Boy and the Heron
- Should Win: Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse
- Did Win: The Boy and the Heron
Still, annoyingly, haven’t seen “The Boy and the Heron” to form a view.
DIRECTOR
ALL OF US STRANGERS Andrew Haigh
ANATOMY OF A FALL Justine Triet
THE HOLDOVERS Alexander Payne
MAESTRO Bradley Cooper
OPPENHEIMER Christopher Nolan
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Jonathan Glazer
- Will Win: Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan
- Should Win: All of us Strangers – Andrew Haigh
- Did Win: Oppenheimer – Christopher Nolan
I can hardly argue against Nolan winning this… but that film is not going to make my G.O.A.T list and (still processing) potentially “All of us Strangers” will.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
ANATOMY OF A FALL Justine Triet, Arthur Harari
BARBIE Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach
THE HOLDOVERS David Hemingson
MAESTRO Bradley Cooper, Josh Singer
PAST LIVES Celine Song
- Will Win: Anatomy of a Fall
- Should Win: The Holdovers
- Did Win: Anatomy of a Fall
Either of my two chosen ones would get my vote to be honest.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ALL OF US STRANGERS Andrew Haigh
AMERICAN FICTION Cord Jefferson
OPPENHEIMER Christopher Nolan
POOR THINGS Tony McNamara
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Jonathan Glazer
- Will Win: American Fiction
- Should Win: All of us Strangers
- Did Win: American Fiction
For me, this should be a two-way fight out between American Fiction and All of us Strangers.
LEADING ACTRESS
FANTASIA BARRINO The Color Purple
SANDRA HÜLLER Anatomy of a Fall
CAREY MULLIGAN Maestro
VIVIAN OPARAH Rye Lane
MARGOT ROBBIE Barbie
EMMA STONE Poor Things
- Will Win: Emma Stone
- Should Win: Emma Stone
- Did Win: Emma Stone
A strong category this one, but I’d be surprised if Emma doesn’t get it.
Well… that might make the Oscars interesting.
LEADING ACTOR
BRADLEY COOPER Maestro
COLMAN DOMINGO Rustin
PAUL GIAMATTI The Holdovers
BARRY KEOGHAN Saltburn
CILLIAN MURPHY Oppenheimer
TEO YOO Past Lives
- Will Win: Cillian Murphy
- Should Win: Cillian Murphy
- Did Win: Cillian Murphy
It’s surely betwen Murphy and Giamatti, and both are stunning performances. But it’s surely Murply’s isn’t it?
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
EMILY BLUNT Oppenheimer
DANIELLE BROOKS The Color Purple
CLAIRE FOY All of Us Strangers
SANDRA HÜLLER The Zone of Interest
ROSAMUND PIKE Saltburn
DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH The Holdovers
- Will Win: Da’Vine Joy Randoph
- Should Win: Rosamund Pike
- Did Win: Da’Vine Joy Randolph
Oh Heavens… what a stellar line up! Can we split the trophy and give a third each to Foy, Pike and Randolph?
SUPPORTING ACTOR
ROBERT DE NIRO Killers of The Flower Moon
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. Oppenheimer
JACOB ELORDI Saltburn
RYAN GOSLING Barbie
PAUL MESCAL All of Us Strangers
DOMINIC SESSA The Holdovers
- Will Win: Robert Downey Jr.
- Should Win: Robert Downey Jr.
- Did Win: Robert Downey Jr.
Another really tough call. There have been some GREAT performances this year!
ORIGINAL SCORE
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Robbie Robertson
OPPENHEIMER Ludwig Göransson
POOR THINGS Jerskin Fendrix
SALTBURN Anthony Willis
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE Daniel Pemberton
- Will Win: Ludwig Göransson
- Should Win: Ludwig Göransson
- Did Win: Ludwig Goransson
CASTING
ALL OF US STRANGERS Kahleen Crawford
ANATOMY OF A FALL Cynthia Arra
THE HOLDOVERS Susan Shopmaker
HOW TO HAVE SEX Isabella Odoffin
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Ellen Lewis, Rene Haynes
- Will Win: The Holdovers
- Should Win: All of us Strangers
- Did Win: The Holdovers
Both of my Will Win and Should Win films have small but perfectly formed casts. If any one of the chosen actors had been wrong the film would have failed. It’s a toss up for me.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Rodrigo Prieto
MAESTRO Matthew Libatique
OPPENHEIMER Hoyte van Hoytema
POOR THINGS Robbie Ryan
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Łukasz Żal
- Will Win: Oppenheimer
- Should Win: Poor Things
- Did Win: Oppenheimer
Another tough call.
EDITING
ANATOMY OF A FALL Laurent Sénéchal
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Thelma Schoonmaker
OPPENHEIMER Jennifer Lame
POOR THINGS Yorgos Mavropsaridis
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Paul Watts
- Will Win: Anatomy of a Fall
- Should Win: Anatomy of a Fall
- Did Win: Oppenheimer
I’ve gone with Anatomy of a Fall for this one, since I think the pacing of the film is extraordinary and the choices of what to show/not show make the film.
PRODUCTION DESIGN
BARBIE Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Jack Fisk, Adam Willis
OPPENHEIMER Ruth De Jong, Claire Kaufman
POOR THINGS Shona Heath, James Price, Zsuzsa Mihalek
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Chris Oddy, Joanna Maria Kuś, Katarzyna Sikora
- Will Win: Poor Things
- Should Win: Poor Things
- Did Win: Poor Things
The production design on that film is just amazing. In fact, I’ve predicted a clean sweep for “Poor Things” on this and the following technical categories.
COSTUME DESIGN
BARBIE Jacqueline Durran
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Jacqueline West
NAPOLEON Dave Crossman, Janty Yates
OPPENHEIMER Ellen Mirojnick
POOR THINGS Holly Waddington
- Will Win: Poor Things
- Should Win: Poor Things
- Did Win: Poor Things
MAKE UP & HAIR
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON Kay Georgiou, Thomas Nellen
MAESTRO Sian Grigg, Kay Georgiou, Kazu Hiro, Lori McCoy-Bell
NAPOLEON Jana Carboni, Francesco Pegoretti, Satinder Chumber, Julia Vernon
OPPENHEIMER Luisa Abel, Jaime Leigh McIntosh, Jason Hamer, Ahou Mofid
POOR THINGS Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier, Josh Weston
- Will Win: Poor Things
- Should Win: Poor Things
- Did Win: Poor Things
SOUND
FERRARI Angelo Bonanni, Tony Lamberti, Andy Nelson, Lee Orloff, Bernard Weiser
MAESTRO Richard King, Steve Morrow, Tom Ozanich, Jason Ruder, Dean Zupancic
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE Chris Burdon, James H. Mather, Chris Munro, Mark Taylor
OPPENHEIMER Willie Burton, Richard King, Kevin O’Connell, Gary A. Rizzo
THE ZONE OF INTEREST Johnnie Burn, Tarn Willers
- Will Win: Oppenheimer
- Should Win: The Zone of Interest
- Did Win: The Zone of Interest
Was pleased to see Ferrari nominated in this category. (But displeased not to see “The Creator” in the list). But for the filling-loosening sound generated in Oppenheimer, my vote goes there.
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE CREATOR Jonathan Bullock, Charmaine Chan, Ian Comley, Jay Cooper
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 Theo Bialek, Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE Neil Corbould, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland, Alex Wuttke
NAPOLEON Henry Badgett, Neil Corbould, Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet
POOR THINGS Simon Hughes
- Will Win: The Creator
- Should Win: The Creator
- Did Win: Poor Things
This one came as a bit of a surprise.
BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
CRAB DAY Ross Stringer, Bartosz Stanislawek, Aleksandra Sykulak
VISIBLE MENDING Samantha Moore, Tilley Bancroft
WILD SUMMON Karni Arieli, Saul Freed, Jay Woolley
(See my brief reviews of all of the nominees here).
- Will Win: Wild Summon
- Should Win: Crab Day
- Did Win: Crab Day
It’s difficult to know what the panel will judge this on. “Wild Summon” – the story of wild salmon spawning, but told through the visuals of scuba divers – has some stunning visuals but, for me, slightly cheats in mixing these with live action landscapes. “Visible Mending” is very cute indeed and with a mental health angle is on-trend. But the simplest animated short, “Crab Day”, packs the most emotional punch for me and is cleverly done.
BRITISH SHORT FILM
FESTIVAL OF SLAPS Abdou Cissé, Cheri Darbon, George Telfer
GORKA Joe Weiland, Alex Jefferson
JELLYFISH AND LOBSTER Yasmin Afifi, Elizabeth Rufai
SUCH A LOVELY DAY Simon Woods, Polly Stokes, Emma Norton, Kate Phibbs
YELLOW Elham Ehsas, Dina Mousawi, Azeem Bhati, Yiannis Manolopoulos
(See my brief reviews of all of the nominees here).
- Will Win: Festival of Slaps
- Should Win: Jellyfish and Lobster
- Did Win: Jellyfish and Lobster
Again, these are all really worthy nominees and a very good watch. I’ve really little idea who the panel will go for. But “Jellyfish and Lobster” was my personal favourite.
EE RISING STAR AWARD
PHOEBE DYNEVOR
AYO EDEBIRI
JACOB ELORDI
MIA MCKENNA-BRUCE
SOPHIE WILDE
- Will Win: Ayo Edebiri
- Should Win: Mia McKenna-Bruce
- Did Win: Mia McKenna-Bruce
My “Should Win” is for obvious reasons!
I am just SOOOO delighted (and as such surprised as Mia!) at this one!
Mia Mckenna-Bruce and me at the BFI!
