Hamnet Targets BAFTAs as 'One Battle' and 'Sinners' Compete

A unique political thriller, a vampire horror movie, and a historical drama centered on Shakespeare will compete against each other on Sunday at the BAFTAs, the UK's top film awards, which serve as a precursor to the Oscars.

The British Academy Film Awards event, considered a forerunner to the Oscars in mid-March, consistently follows its own unique route by featuring a wide range of nominees and highlighting homegrown British talent.

Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another," a thriller depicting white supremacists pursuing discredited revolutionaries, topped the BAFTA nominations with 14 mentions, including for the highly sought-after best film prize.

It was followed by 13 nominations for the vampire-themed horror film "Sinners" — which broke the all-time Oscar nominations record with 16 selections — and Timothée Chalamet's table tennis drama "Marty Supreme" with 11 nods.

Fewer, more personal films were also featured.

"Hamnet" delves into the personal life of William Shakespeare, while the Norwegian family drama "Sentimental Value" rounds out the five BAFTA best film nominees.

Top-tier actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessie Buckley, and Timothee Chalamet are anticipated to appear on the red carpet at London's Southbank Centre, with the event being hosted by Scottish performer Alan Cumming.

Even though "Sinners" received the most Oscar nominations, "One Battle" featuring DiCaprio remained a strong contender, having secured nearly all the preliminary awards throughout this award season. It is inspired by the Thomas Pynchon book "Vineland."

- 'Hamnet' upset? -

"Hamnet" is also becoming a notable strong competitor. It defeated "Sinners" to claim the best drama film award at the Golden Globes ceremony last month.

Long-recognized as a tribute to locally produced movies, the BAFTAs may lean towards the historical drama, which features a wealth of British and Irish actors.

Based on a book written by Maggie O'Farrell, "Hamnet" received 11 nominations — in contrast to seven Oscar nods — for its depiction of Shakespeare and his wife Agnes as they cope with the death of their son in Elizabethan England during a plague outbreak.

Jessie Buckley, who portrays the heartbroken Agnes, is the top contender for best leading actress following her victory in the best drama actress category at the Golden Globes.

The Irish actress faces off against Kate Hudson in the musical drama "Song Sung Blue," Emma Stone in "Bugonia," Chase Infiniti in "One Battle," Renate Reinsve in "Sentimental Value," and Rose Byrne in "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You."

Timothee Chalamet is gaining momentum for the best actor award following victories at the Critics Choice and Golden Globe ceremonies for his portrayal of a continuously striving ping-pong player with big dreams.

A BAFTA for best actor might solidify his aspirations for an Academy Award.

However, the 30-year-old celebrity will need to compete against DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan, even though Irish heartthrob Paul Mescal did not receive a nomination for his performance as Shakespeare in "Hamnet".

- Exceptional British movie -

Josh Safdie ("Marty Supreme"), Paul Thomas Anderson ("One Battle"), and Ryan Coogler ("Sinners") are among the contenders for the best director honor. Anderson secured the award at the Directors Guild of America Awards this month.

The top director candidates also feature BAFTA winner Yorgos Lanthimos for "Bugonia," Joachim Trier for "Sentimental Value," and Chloe Zhao—who received an Oscar for "Nomadland"—for "Hamnet."

The honors have encountered some backlash due to the predominance of American entries. In contrast to France's Cesar Awards or Spain's Goya Awards, which promote local film industries, the BAFTAs are available to filmmakers from any country.

"That suggests American movies often dominate the scene," stated Variety Magazine, which makes the event a more reliable indicator for the Oscars, but limits opportunities for local films to stand out beyond the exceptional British film category.

Numerous distinct genres will vie for the award, with "Hamnet" facing off against the commercially successful "Bridget Jones, Mad About the Boy" and the biographical film "I Swear".

"I Swear" – inspired by the real-life experiences of a Scottish man whose life was permanently altered by Tourette Syndrome – received the most nominations for a British film, earning five nods.

The Sentimental Value" will be in the running for the foreign language film category alongside the Brazilian crime thriller "The Secret Agent," the Cannes Palme d'Or winning film "It Was Just An Accident," and the Palestinian docudrama "The Voice of Hind Rajab.

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