BIFA Noms: "Tyrannosaur" Triumphs, "Weekend" Wobbles
Monday, October 31, 2011 at 2:40PM Herewith a few comments about the just-announced British Independent Film Awards. You may recall that last year they heavily favored The King's Speech and strangely snubbed Mike Leigh's Another Year in Best Film.
BIFA loved "Kevin" but wasn't crazy about "Weekend"
I should warn you up front that I'm apt to spend the whole time bitching about the strange snubbing of Weekend in all but two categories.
British Independent Film
Senna
Shame
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Tyrannosaur
We Need To Talk About Kevin
They unfortunately snubbed the acclaimed gay romance Weekend (Dear reader, I did warn you. DEAR NOTE, I SHALL HIT THEE FREQUENTLY!) which was a perfect fit given the "British" and the "Independent"... not to mention that it's a better film than some of these titles. But then, that's award season for you. Right from the start there will be winners and losers and unexpecting favoring of certain titles that nobody was expecting major awards runs from. Not sure what to make of the lineup other than that the deep preferencing for Shame, Tyrannosaur, and Kevin reminds us that when seeking kudos, ambitiously arty but thunderously grim depression can be an easier path to glory than optimistic and delicately carved miniatures. Again, where is Weekend?
Best Director
Ben Wheatley, Kill List
Steve McQueen, Shame
Tomas Alfredson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Paddy Considine, Tyrannosaur
Lynne Ramsay, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Best Debut Director (The Douglas Hickox Award)
Joe Cornish, Attack the Block
Ralph Fiennes, Coriolanus
John Michael McDonagh, The Guard
Richard Ayoade, Submarine
Paddy Considine, Tyrannosaur
Paddy Considine directs Olivia Colman to greatness in "Tyrannosaur"
I am of the opinion that when one separates directing categories one should not be eligible for both. More direction and acting nods after the jump...
It robs suspense and also feels stingy to those who were snubbed to make room for Paddy twice over. Not that we aren't fond of Paddy Considine. We've always loved him as an actor (he's so funny in Submarine, and now in competition with his own director) and if Tyrannosaur proves anything it's that he is, no surprise, great with other actors.
Best Screenplay
John Michael McDonagh, The Guard
Ben Wheatley and Amy Jump, Kill List
Abi Morgan and Steve McQueen, Shame
Richard Ayoade, Submarine
Lynne Ramsay and Rory Kinnear, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Strange to honor Shame and Kevin here over Weekend since I'd argue that neither of the former films derive their major strength from the screenplays but from the auteur's aesthetics and from the haunted nearly possessed lead performances. I haven't yet seen Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy so I'm not sure what to make of its exclusion.
Best Actress
Rebecca Hall, The Awakening
Mia Wasikowska, Jane Eyre
MyAnna Buring, Kill List
Olivia Colman, Tyrannosaur
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
The only one of these women that's currently Oscar buzzing is Olivia Colman, though she's a dark horse for a long shot at best (double unlikelihood! but god she's good in that film). But we sure wish Mia & Tilda would also gain a little heat. Best Actress -- and any category actually -- is always more fun and interesting when it stays competitive. That way voters have to really weigh their options (as they always should) rather than just vote from habitual preferences.
Finally, it's fun to see Rebecca Hall here so soon after listening to Craig and David talk about her film.
Best Actor
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Neil Maskell, Kill List
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Peter Mullan, Tyrannosaur
The Guard recently arrived in my mailbox so perhaps it's time to put it in the player and absorb. Mullan is powerful in Tyrannosaur but if you ask me the film absolutely belongs to Colman, who finds much more range within her characterization.
Most Promising Newcomer
Jessica Brown Findlay, Albatross
John Boyega, Attack the Block
Craig Roberts, Submarine
Yasmin Paige, Submarine
Tom Cullen, Weekend
Craig and Yasmin were quite amusing together in Submarine, so alike externally and such romantically clashing spirits internally. But if we're going for couples, why on earth isn't Chris New here for Weekend, Andrew Haigh's romantic drama which thrives on its duet. Shame (not Shame).
Attack the Block, like The Guard, has also arrived in screener form. Must get to that. 'tis awards season at last.
Best Supporting Actress
Felicity Jones, Albatross
Vanessa Redgrave, Coriolanus
Carey Mulligan, Shame
Sally Hawkins, Submarine
Kathy Burke, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Smiley, Kill List
Tom Hardy, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Benedict Cumberbatch, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Eddie Marsan, Tyrannosaur
Ezra Miller, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy really cleaned up in terms of acting nominations (four all told) and it seems fitting that it's Hardy and Cumberbatch, since they seem to be hogging the kuods that aren't Oldman-related. Can either of them get Oscar traction in that field that's currently crowded with "lifetime achievement" types? I'm a bit surprised to see Ezra Miller on the list, given what he's asked to do in We Need To Talk About Kevin but then, they really just went for the film.
Best Technical Achievement
Chris King and Gregers Sall for the editing of Senna
Sean Bobbit for the cinematography of Shame
Joe Walker fro the editing of Shame
Maria Djukovic for the production design of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Seamus McGarvey for the cinematography of We Need To Talk About Kevin
Best Achievement in Production
Kill List
Tyrannosaur
Weekend
Wild Bill
You Instead
Best Documentary
Hell and Back Again
Life in a Day
Project Nim
Senna
TT3D: Closer to the Edge
Best Foreign Independent Film
Animal Kingdom
Drive
Pina
A Separation
The Skin I Live In
"A Separation" continues on its path to... Oscar?
Foreign Film prizes are always so peculiar. They constantly reminded us of the batty release schedules 'round the world. Animal Kingdom premiered almost 24 months ago! But we love it so, yay! We like all of these movies quite a lot in fact so this category totally trumps their Best Picture category.
The Raindance Award
Acts of Godfrey
Black Pond
Hollow
Leaving Baghdad
A Thousand Kisses Deep
Best British Short
0507
Chalk
Love at First Sight
Rite
Tough Skin
The Richard Harris Award (Outstanding Contribution to British Film)
TBA
The Variety Award
TBA
The Special Jury Prize
This award will be announced at the actual ceremony on December 4th, 2011.
Reader Comments (23)
I saw these noms on another site and thought that Weekend must not have been eligible, until I saw Cullen's lonely nomination. I haven't seen the films that were actually nominated, so I can't argue their quality, but it does seem odd to largely exclude a film (especially one with a ton of buzz) that these awards would seem tailor made for.
Too bad about Weekend. I'm ecstatic for Attack the Block it's what Super 8 should've been.
Don't quite get all the Weekend love. It has about 15 minutes worth of things to say that it just pounds home over and over again. It also is obsessed with its own gayness, like being at an exhausting cocktail party with a bunch of queer theory grad students. By never really defining the characters outside of how they are defined by their sexuality makes them easily forgettable.
Any thought that Tom Hardy might get a nom for Tinker as part of the old "John C Reilly is good in five movies this year, give him a nom somewhere," slot?
People are hugely overestimating Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy's chances in the Oscar race if you ask me. It will be interesting to see what happens when people finally see it in America. It is so quiet and understated and emotionless, and honestly really hard to keep up with. None of the supporting actors are given enough to do (and if you ask me, if anyone is likely to get nominated, it's Colin Firth). Don't believe the Gary Oldman hype either.
Brian Z -- it has occurred to me. But like The Jack implies. Many of us here in the Americas haven't seen it. so who knows...
Mac but obsession with gayness is part of the whole narrative of coming out. to me the movie wouldn't be truthful if it denied that. I think how gay people define themselves has a lot to do with their reactions to (whether positive or negative) with being defined as such. It's unavoidable.
Val i haven't seen 100% of them but I think Weekend is a better film than 60% of that "best film" list. that said, as noted, it is less ambitious than most of them and ambition does count for a lot with awardage.
I was disappointed to see Weekend miss out in major categories as well, and Chris New missing out with his co-star is especially puzzling. I wouldn't put anyone there over the likes of Peter Mullan (who I preferred slightly to Colman who just really had one scene, though to date the best acted scene of the year) or We Need To Talk About Kevin's screenplay (in terms of adaptation of an high profile piece of literature it's absolutely ingenius).
Then again Weekend only just premiered in the London Film Festival and I don't think it's had a very wide release like movies like Kevin and Tinker Tailor had so far. But obviously this group went more for the shiny festival favorites in general.
Is Tyrannosaur even eligible for awards in the US, since I don't think it has gotten a US release yet (and there isn't one listed on IMDB)?
BVR -- it has a US release, yes. I can't recall exactly when but as far as i'm aware it will qualify.
I don't deny your rigtht to complain or just express disagreement but if the Academy nominated films like the ones that got Best Pic nods here, it would have been a much more respected institution (or whatever it is).
so pisssssssssed by the WEEKEND snubs. ugh!
"I'm a bit surprised to see Ezra Miller on the list, given what he's asked to do in We Need To Talk About Kevin but then, they really just went for the film.”
I’m a slow reader and I haven’t seen Kevin, but I’m curious about your statement because I thought some say he’s quite good in the film?
It’s nice to see double tech noms for Shame in the cinematography and the editing, I hope they release the score because it's haunting.
Will they go for Mulligan in Supporting Actress against Redgrave since Mulligan won the last 2 Best Actress for this award.
Any explanation why there is no mention for My Week With Marilyn at all? Is it because it’s not released yet or it’s not that indie for them?
So happy to Senna nominated in the top category. (It's in my top five of the year so far)
I think it's been a good year for documentaries overall, but I'll be really pissed if anything other than Senna or Project NIM wins the oscar.
I'm really happy for Lady Sybill's (Jessica Brown Findlay) nomination in the Most Promising Newcomer category, but that's just the Downton Abbey fan in me speaking.
Happy to see that Weekend was at least acknowledged. Disappointed Chris New was overlooked, however. I thought it was a very good film with great acting.
Mikhael -- that's the thing with "indie" awards. It's always difficult to know what qualifies (see also spirit awards and gotham awards)
Mikhael -- oh and re: ezra miller. I just thought the conception of the character was kind of limited (so it's not totally his fault) but it's basically like Play Evil.
Ryan -- i know! glad i'm not alone.
If anyone is going to get a supporting actor nomination for TTSS I suspect it would be Cumberbatch. He's in the film's best scenes and even gets a crying scene all to himself. I wasn't particularly fussed by Hardy, but I'm not particularly fussed by him at the best of times (I kinda hated him in "Warrior"!)
"Finally, it's fun to see Rebecca Hall here so soon after listening to Craig and David talk about her film."
I read that as simply "Craig David" and was wondering why on earth Craig David was talking about a British indie film. If you actually remember who Craig David is then I'm sure you'd wonder the same thing.
Sorry for WEEKEND, but glad to find SENNA in the top category...is it eligible for the Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature category?
and what about Hardy's chances during the rest of the season? I read that THE WETTEST COUNTY IN THE WORLD will open at December...in WARRIOR he's a the leading man, or the co-lead (actually you could say the same regarding former best supporting actor winner Bale) e in TTSS Cumberbatch has better reviews...
I should warn you up front that I'm apt to spend the whole time bitching about the strange snubbing of Weekend in all but one category.
All but 2 categories? unless achievement in production (whatever it means) is not a real category?
Weekend snub is also quite understandable. Tinker, Senna and Kevin have been quite surprisingly sizable box office hits here in the UK. Shame only gets its release in Feb but there is still huge residual love for McQueen/Fassbender. Tyrannosaur sort of flopped but was heavily promoted. In contrast, I have not seen any posters for Weekend in the tube yet even though it's getting its release next week.
reds -- oops. i didn't proofread. the initial list i saw excluded that category but when i foudn the full details i needed to edit and forgot. thanks for pointing that out.