#Awards: Saoirse Ronan leads Irish charge for 71st BAFTA Film Awards

It was a good morning for the Irish when the nominees were announced for the 2018 BAFTA Awards in London. Fresh from her triumph at the Golden Globes, Saoirse Ronan continued her awards notice with another nomination for her leading role in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama Lady Bird. Kerry producer Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly picked up two nominations for her work with Alice Birch (writer) and William Oldroyd (director) on Lady Macbeth, in the Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer and Outstanding British film categories. There was also an Irish producer, Patrick Campbell, on nominated Best British short film A Drowning Man. Dual UK/Irish citizen and Wicklow resident Daniel Day-Lewis was nominated for his leading performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread, while fellow dual UK/Irish citizen Martin McDonagh was nominated in two categories for directing and writing Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The film received 9 nominations in total.

The 9 nominations for Three Billboards saw it tie with Churchill-drama Darkest Hour for second spot behind Guillermo Del Toro’s fantasy epic The Shape of the Water, which earned 12.  Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk received eight nominations, including best film and best director. Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 earned eight nominations, including best director, while I, Tonya, the Margot Robbie-starring biopic of disgraced ice skater Tonya Harding, and Phantom Thread won five nominations. There were three nominations for Paddington 2 and Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool picked up three apiece. Armando Iannucci’s Soviet satire The Death of Stalin got two nominations, for best adapted screenplay and outstanding British film.

Saoirse Ronan will compete with fellow Golden Globe-winner Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), as well as Annette Bening for (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool), Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) and Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) in the Best Actress race.

Daniel Day-Lewis faces off against breakout star Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour), Jamie Bell (Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool), and Oscar-favourite Timothée Chalamet (Call Me by Your Name) for Best Actor.

Stephen Spielberg’s The Post, an early awards-season favourite picked up no nominations. Irish animation The Breadwinner, which is expected to be on Oscar’s list was not eligible for these awards as it won’t be released in Ireland and the UK until May 25th.

The 71st BAFTA Awards will take place on Sunday, 18 February at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The ceremony will be presented for the first time by Johanna Lumley, who takes over from Stephen Fry as host.

Full list of nominees

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

Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer

The Ghoul – Gareth Tunley (writer/director/producer), Jack Healy Guttman & Tom Meeten (producers)
I Am Not a Witch – Rungano Nyoni (writer/director), Emily Morgan (Producer)
Jawbone – Johnny Harris (writer/producer), Thomas Napper (director)
Kingdom of Us – Lucy Cohen (director)
Lady Macbeth – Alice Birch (writer), William Oldroyd (director), Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (producer)

Best film not in the English language

Elle
First They Killed My Father
The Handmaiden
Loveless
The Salesman

Best documentary

City of Ghosts
I Am Not Your Negro
Icarus
An Inconvenient Sequel
Jane

Best animated film

Coco
Loving Vincent
My Life as a Courgette

Best director

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

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 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 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

Best original music

Blade Runner 2049
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water

Best cinematography

Blade Runner 2049
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best editing

Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best production design

Beauty and the Beast
Blade Runner 2049
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water

Best costume design

Beauty and the Beast
Darkest Hour
I, Tonya
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water

Best make up & hair

Blade Runner 2049
Darkest Hour
I, Tonya
Victoria & Abdul
Wonder

Best sound

Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Best special visual effects

Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
War for the Planet of the Apes

Best British short animation

Have Heart
Mamoon
Poles Apart

Best British short film

Aamir
Cowboy Dave
A Drowning Man
Work
Wren Boys

EE Rising Star award (voted for by the public)

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