by Joel Russell
The announcement of the BAFTA 2020 nominations last month wasn't without controversy. Not for the first time, several seemingly obvious contenders were overlooked and independents were to be found almost nowhere on the list, leaving a small handful of films to receive a glut of nominations.
This isn't to say that the shortlisted films are poor. Check our reviews of Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood and Joker if you don't believe us. Each of these films offers something exceptional: the former's genius dialogue and snappy editing, and the latter's outstanding lead male performance both fully deserve their kudos.
But for both of these films to receive 10+ nominations, largely in the same categories: from Costume Design to Casting to Best Film, seems a little suspicious. Especially considering Us, Midsommar and Uncut Gems are just a fraction of the many films to go completely uncredited by all major awarding bodies this year. Is this to say Joker is better than these films in all 11 of the categories for which it is nominated?
This isn't to say that the existing nominations are a total catastrophe.
It's brilliant to see Bong Joon Ho's Parasite earn six nominations. It's rare indeed for a film not in the English language to be recognised beyond, well, the Film Not in the English Language category: a patronising and outdated shortlist into which an elite few of the spectrum of amazing international features are lumped.
And even though she (wrongly) missed out on a Best Director nod, Greta Gerwig is surely the leading candidate to scoop Best Adapted Screenplay for Little Women. Moreover, it's difficult to argue that Roger Deakins' cinematography in 1917 isn't some of the best to hit the big screen in years - the film also deserves credit in particular for its brilliant production and sound design. It's a saving grace to see Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse at least get recognised in this category too (though it should have been nominated for more).
The (un)surprising lack of diversity here, echoed at the Oscars and Globes, leads us to the question: are film awards losing their authority? With more and more films being produced every year on a whole range of budgets, is the entire concept of condensing this incredible, global variety into a single list, which largely draws from the same 6 or 7 films, outdated? How, then, do we move forward in developing a more representative vision for cinema awarding bodies now and in the future?
In spite of the above rant, I've still made my predictions from the limitations of the shortlist below.
And do enjoy the BAFTAs 2020. If nothing else, it's one night of the year for us film buffs to nerd-off together.
Predictions:
BEST FILM
Will win: Joker
Should win: Parasite
BEST BRITISH FILM
Will win: 1917
Should win: For Sama or 1917
BEST DIRECTOR
Will win: Sam Mendes, 1917
Should win: Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
BEST LEADING ACTOR
Will win: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Should win: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
BEST LEADING ACTRESS
Will win: Renée Zellweger, Judy
Should win: Jessie Buckley, Wild Rose
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Will win: Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Should win: Florence Pugh, Little Women
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Will win: Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
Should win: Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Will win: Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
Should win: Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Will win: Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Should win: Greta Gerwig, Little Women
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Will win: Roger Deakins, 1917
Should win: Roger Deakins, 1917 or Jarin Blaschke, The Lighthouse
BEST EDITING
Will win: Thelma Schoonmaker, The Irishman
Should win: Thelma Schoonmaker, The Irishman or Fred Raskin, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Will win: Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales, 1917
Should win: Dennis Gassner and Lee Sandales, 1917
