"All Quiet on the Western Front" dominates the BAFTA longlists

by Cláudio Alves

"All Quiet on the Western Front" | © Netflix

After the Academy announced its shortlists in ten categories, some questions loomed over prognosticators' heads. Does a better-than-expected performance at this phase of the race indicate broad industry support? Moreover, is All Quiet in the Western Front – featured in 5 of AMPAS' rosters – the non-English-language film to beat and Netflix's best bet at a Best Picture nod? What were once mere suspicions feel like near certainties in the face of the BAFTA longlists. While we should always take these things with a grain of salt, it's hard to ignore how well the war movie did. Out of 15 possible categories, it features in all 15 shortlists, including such surprising places as Best Costume Design.

Come discover the full longlists, after the jump…

BEST FILM

• Aftersun (8 longlists overall)
• All Quiet on the Western Front (15 longlists)
• The Banshees of Inisherin (13 longlists, with double citations in Supporting Actor)
• Elvis (12 longlists)
• Everything Everywhere All At Once (12 longlists)
• The Fabelmans (5 longlists)
• Living (6 longlists)
• Tár (8 longlists)
• Top Gun: Maverick (8 longlists)
• Triangle of Sadness (7 shortlists)

The British Academy continues to tinker with its rules. Last year, their Best Film longlists featured 15 titles, but now they've settled for 10. Indeed, across most categories, we see a culling in the number of contenders. This selection, more judicious than in years past, may give a clearer idea of what productions they support and which they choose to ignore. That's another way of saying that, last year, Babylon – which made it into eight longlists – would have probably been here. Nevertheless, its chances feel wobblier than they did a couple of weeks ago. Women Talking is also in peril, while the widespread rejection of Avatar: The Way of Water is likely a Brit-only phenomenon. The guilds will illuminate this matter further.

"Aftersun" | © A24 

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

• Aftersun
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Blue Jean
• Brian And Charles
• Emily
• Empire of Light
• Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
• Lady Chatterley's Lover
• Living
• The Lost King
• Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris
• Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical
• See How They Run
• The Swimmers
• The Wonder

Three Best Film contenders reappear on this list, securing their claim for a nomination. However, it should be noted that Blue Jean, Emily, and The Lost King won't be eligible for the 95th Academy Awards unless they had some qualifying releases that went under the radar.

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR, OR PRODUCER

• Aftersun
• Blue Jean
• Donna
• Electric Malady
• Emily
• Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
• Nothing Compares
• Rebellion
• See How They Run
• Wayfinder

I assume this is Aftersun's to lose. On another note, I can't wait to finally watch Blue Jean, which also did pretty well at the British Independent Film Awards.

"RRR" | © DVV Entertainment 

BEST FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Argentina, 1985
• Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
• Close
• Corsage
• Decision To Leave
• EO
• Holy Spider
• The Quiet Girl
• RRR

The only film to overlap with the Best Film longlist is All Quiet on the Western Front, marking it as the clear favorite to consolidate the nomination, to win even. Nine of the selected titles also made it to AMPAS' 15-wide shortlist. RRR is the odd one out since BAFTA isn't beholden to the same eligibility rules as the Academy. India submitted Last Film Show for the Oscars, which was shortlisted there.

BEST DOCUMENTARY

• All That Breathes
• All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
• A Bunch Of Amateurs
• Fire of Love
• The Ghost of Richard Harris
• Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song
• Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
• McEnroe
• Moonage Daydream
• Navalny

Six films overlap with AMPAS' shortlist. In addition, both Fire of Love and Moonage Daydream are represented in one other category at the BAFTAs.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

• The Amazing Maurice
• The Bad Guys
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
• Lightyear
• Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
• Minions: The Rise of Gru
• Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
• Turning Red

Only four films will advance toward a BAFTA nomination in a category whose longlist is utterly dumbfounding. It's abysmal how conventional entertainment trumps artistry, with such critically reviled movies as Lightyear and Minions getting in over more ambitious fare like My Father's Dragon. After being an awards darling for over a decade, it's shocking how Cartoon Saloon can't get anyone to consider their latest feature.

"Saint Omer" | © Wild Bunch International

BEST DIRECTOR

• Aftersun
• All Quiet on the Western Front
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Corsage
• Decision To Leave
• Elvis
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Fire of Love
• The Quiet Girl
• Saint Omer
• She Said
• Tár
• Till
• Top Gun: Maverick
• The Woman King
• Women Talking

This is, by far, the most shocking non-acting category, with predicted frontrunners snubbed left and right. As a general rule, I love this idiosyncratic behavior, for it justifies BAFTA's existence as more than a mere punditry tool. Still, no Spielberg, Cameron, or Chazelle is a mighty surprise. Some might blame this on the rules that demand gender parity, but that still means the British Academy preferred eight other male directors over those three.

If Wells, Kreutzer, Park, and Diop get nominated, this will be my favorite directing lineup of the entire season.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Aftersun
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Decision To Leave
• Elvis
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• The Fabelmans
• Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
• The Menu
• Tár
• Triangle of Sadness

Babylon's buzz never felt more fragile, though one must remember that this rejection may be a Brit-only thing. The guilds will clear things up. On the other hand, The Menu is a cool addition, even though I don't share the love others have for the gourmet horror.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
• Living
• The Quiet Girl
• She Said
• Top Gun: Maverick
• The Whale
• Women Talking
• The Wonder

What can one do but laugh at that Top Gun inclusion? As it stands, this is the only category where Women Talking feels safe going into Oscar nomination morning. Predicting issues forgotten, I'd like to applaud the BAFTAs for highlighting The Wonder's underrecognized greatness.

"Good Luck to You, Leo Grande" | © Searchlight Pictures 

BEST LEADING ACTRESS

• Naomi Ackie in I Wanna Dance With Somebody
• Ana de Armas in Blonde
• Cate Blanchett in Tár
• Jessica Chastain in The Good Nurse
• Viola Davis in The Woman King
• Danielle Deadwyler in Till
• Lesley Manville in Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris
• Emma Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
• Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans
• Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All At Once

First things first, no Robbie makes it evident that Babylon is far from a sure thing. Moreover, the absence of non-English-language performance is deeply dispiriting in a year full of incredible Best Actress contenders outside the bounds of Anglophone cinema. Think of Guslagie Malanda in Saint Omer, Vicky Krieps in Corsage, or Tang Wei in Decision to Leave, among many others.

Also, what on Earth did Olivia Colman ever do to the British Academy?

BEST LEADING ACTOR

• Austin Butler in Elvis
• Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick
• Harris Dickinson in Triangle of Sadness
• Brendan Fraser in The Whale
• Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin
• Daniel Kaluuya in Nope
• Felix Kammerer in All Quiet on the Western Front
• Daryl McCormack in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
• Paul Mescal in Aftersun
• Bill Nighy in Living

Considering three of the finalists will be decided by a jury, it's safe to assume Kammerer makes it as the only representative of non-English-language cinema. Regarding a certain Australian star, Hugh Jackman will probably have to settle for watching the Oscars from outside the Dolby Theatre. The Son is dead and buried, it seems.

There were no surprises here beside McCormack's inclusion for one of the year's most underrated performances.

"The Banshees of Inisherin" | © Searchlight Pictures

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Hong Chau in The Whale
• Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin
• Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Dolly De Leon in Triangle of Sadness
• Lashana Lynch in The Woman King
• Janelle Monáe in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
• Carey Mulligan in She Said
• Emma Thompson in Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical
• Aimee Lou Wood in Living

This is a terrible blow to Women Talking's awards run, especially considering how Buckley and Foy are previous BAFTA darlings, with seven nominations between them. One should note that Emma Thompson is the only actor to score citations in the leading and supporting longlists.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin
• Tom Hanks in Elvis
• Woody Harrelson in Triangle of Sadness
• Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin
• Brad Pitt in Babylon
• Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Eddie Redmayne in The Good Nurse
• Albrecht Schuch in All Quiet on the Western Front
• Micheal Ward in Empire of Light
• Ben Whishaw in Women Talking

A chaotic lineup from start to finish, going through the diabolical hilarity of Tom Hanks and a surprise Micheal Ward to the complete absence of The Fabelmans. It also feels wrong that the only cast member from Women Talking to make the longlists is the ensemble's sole cis man.

BEST CASTING

• Aftersun
• All Quiet on the Western Front
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Elvis
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• The Fabelmans
• Living
• Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical
• Tár
• Triangle of Sadness

Another snub for the Women Talking team. That they couldn't get in, but BAFTA found space for a two-hander like Aftersun, indicates a considered rejection of Polley's film.

"Babylon" | © Paramount Pictures

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Amsterdam
• Athena
• Babylon
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• The Batman
• Elvis
• Empire of Light
• Tár
• Top Gun: Maverick

 The less said about this longlist, the better. So let's pretend it isn't here - for my sanity's sake if nothing else.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Amsterdam
• Babylon
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Corsage
• Elvis
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
• Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris
• Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical

How on earth did All Quiet on the Western Front make it into this list? Also, in the death match of midcentury fashions, Powell loses out to Beavan. Will the same happen at the Oscars, with Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris's Dior dream trumping Living's sharp suits?

BEST EDITING

• Aftersun
• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Babylon
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• Decision To Leave
• Elvis
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Moonage Daydream
• Top Gun: Maverick
• Triangle of Sadness

Nominations for Aftersun and Decision to Leave would be amazing miracles. On the other hand, a nod to The Banshees of Inisherin would be a crime against the art of film editing.

BEST MAKE UP & HAIR

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Amsterdam
• Babylon
• The Batman
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Blonde
• Elvis
• Emancipation
• Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical
• The Whale

No surprises here, only the creeping feeling that Amsterdam might happen at the Oscars and guilds, after all. Only Matilda is absent from the Academy's shortlist.

"Everything Everywhere All At Once" | © A24

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Babylon
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• The Batman
• Empire of Light
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
• Tár
• Women Talking
• The Wonder 

The Wonder is an inspired pick, while Hildur Guðnadóttir scores two longlist slots. Unfortunately, at the Oscars, she's only in contention for Women Talking since TÁR was disqualified due to the prominence of pre-existing compositions within the soundtrack.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• Babylon
• The Banshees of Inisherin
• The Batman
• Elvis
• Empire of Light
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• The Fabelmans
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Avatar shows up, at long last. If Pinocchio gets nominated, it'll be the first stop-motion film in the Best Production Design race since BAFTA's inception. I'm baffled by Everything Everywhere All At Once's addition to this longlist, though that further confirms its mass appeal with awards voters.

BEST SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• The Batman
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
• Jurassic World Dominion
• Top Gun: Maverick

Everything Everywhere All At Once and Pinocchio are the only titles not featured in AMPAS' shortlist of the equivalent category. It'd be fun if BAFTA went their own way and nominated both achievements.

BEST SOUND

• All Quiet on the Western Front
• Avatar: The Way of Water
• Babylon
• The Batman
• Elvis
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
• Tár
• Thirteen Lives
• Top Gun: Maverick

It's good to know some awards voters were paying attention to TÁR's excellent sound design. I'm looking judgmentally in your general direction, AMPAS.

"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" | © Apple Original Films

BEST BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

• Beware of Trains
• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
• Christopher at Sea
• Middle Watch
• Salvation Has No Name
• Your Mountain is Waiting

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse is also one of the Oscar finalists.

BEST BRITISH SHORT FILM

• The Ballad Of Olive Morris
• Bazigaga
• Bus Girl
• A Drifting Up
• A Fox in the Night
• An Irish Goodbye
• Little Berlin
• Love Languages
• Too Rough
• WanderLand 

An Irish Goodbye is an Oscar finalist in the Live-Action Short category.

What do you think of the BAFTA longlists? Which absence shocked you the most, and which inclusion was most delightful?

Comments

[Mr Ripley79]

Seems they went back to nominating all the Oscar possibles in the acting categories.

Beyond Yeoh and Blanchett Best Actress 3 - 5 is anybody's gues,Ackie is great in IWDWS but the film isn't catching on.
i
We'll probably end up with dull turns by Williams and Davis,keeping my fingers crossed Deadwyler whom my sister didn't like in Till and she's my number one of the year.

I heard Thompson is quite bad in Matilda and I thought she was outshined by McCormack in Leo Grade,

Lynch is the best thing about The Woman King's acting.

AQOTWF is obviously the surprise nominee not many saw coming.

The Ghost of Richard Harris is a wonderful documentary.

[Antônio]

It’s about time to put Albrecht Schuch on the supporting actor predictions. Still shocked by All Quiet’s general praise (costume design and original score? wow, ok).

[Edwin]

I’m starting to get the feeling that All Quiet on the Western Front is gonna end up with something like 8 Oscar nominations. It’s totally plausible at this point.

[Peggy Sue]

I only cared about the last hour of All Quiet, but everyone outside my bubble has seen it and loved it.

Can we stop the RRR nonsense?

Happy for Ana de Armas. Academy voters couldn't care less about pundits or film Twitter so maybe there's hope for her.

Ashamed with the Redymayne/Mulligan (two of my faves) fraud.

Over the moon for Daryl McCormack. 235 critics awards in America and he's only got two nominations for Breakthrough Star. I mean, you really have to be blind.

[charlea]

We’re really still doing this Brendan Gleeson thing? What a boring nomination it will be. Also he’s a lead.

This Tom Cruise thing is really getting interesting. On the one hand, is this one of the 5 best acting performances of the year? Absolutely not. But it is a classic movie star performance. That was the entire narrative around Matt Damon’s The Martian nomination. I’m starting to lean towards it happening.

I just feel so disconnected from this season. Triangle of Sadness isn’t my favorite film of the year but I’m hoping it makes all the categories for nominations because at least it’s an exciting and smart film. So many films in the races are just…meh (to me). I’m all alone on an island thinking that Everything Everywhere was a C grade at best, and I think Elvis was genuinely as terrible as Blonde.

[Wae Mest]

Does it make any sense to leave NOPE out of Best Production Design and Best Sound? You guessed it: NOPE!

[Elazul]

Remember the time when Margot Robbie landed two nominations in the same category?

They must really hate Olivia Colman for some reason!

The Woman King not being in costume design means zero chances for the Oscars either? Would be so great if both Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris & Glass Onion got in!

[Gallavich]

Still no NOPE in sound means that they didn't watch the movie

[Yavor]

Another Olivia Colman nod at the Oscars would officially place her in the overrated category.

She's kinda limited in the versatility department.

I haven't seen Empire of Light yet, is she doing a British Isles accent again?

[Michael R]

Shocks galore!

[Michael R]

Peggy Sue : I will feel so proud of the Academy's acting branch if they nominate Ana de Armas for Blonde.

[Michael R]

I am sure Actress will end up being Blanchett/Yeoh/Deadwyler/Williams/and either Davis or Colman but it'd be so great if de Armas and Robbie could leapfrog over their competition and snag those last two spots. Pipe dream I know but still...

[Elazul]

Before SAG, safest bet for Actor & Actress is Critics Choice without Tom Cruise & Margot Robbie.

[Ryan Steinke]

Most happy to see TÁR in the top categories as well as in some crafts (BOTH Cinematography AND Sound). But it makes zero sense how Nina Hoss couldn’t make the shortlist. Also, super thrilled by the Aftersun love. Wells and Mescal making the final list would be incredible. Only major annoyance is All Quiet on the Western Front dominating. It’s overrated if you ask me but it looks like it’s getting into Oscar’s Best Picture lineup now—especially with Women Talking and Babylon losing major steam.