"All Quiet on the Western Front" dominates the BAFTA longlists
Friday, January 6, 2023 at 3:41PM
Cláudio Alves in Aftersun, All Quiet on the Western Front, BAFTA, Elvis, Everything Everwyhere All At Once, Living, Punditry, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fabelmans, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, Tár

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

BEST BRITISH SHORT FILM

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?

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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