BAFTAs 2021: ‘Nomadland,’ ‘Rocks’ lead more diverse nominations

Following an outcry over the lack of diversity in last year’s nominees and an overhaul of its rules and regulations, the EE British Film Academy Awards on Tuesday unveiled a far more inclusive field of nominees, including record nods for female directors and a leading seven nominations for Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland” and Sarah Gavron’s “Rocks.” Much like previous Academy Awards controversies, last year’s nominations by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts were denounced for their all-male directing nominees and all-white acting nominees, a backlash that spawned a #BaftasSoWhite hashtag. “Seeing how people are just so like in love with ‘Rocks,’ it kind of makes you feel indispensable in the world, and makes you feel less marginal to the broader picture,” Bakray, who was nominated for best lead actress, said by video interview. “But one of the biggest pieces of feedback was that the feeling was that not enough people were watching enough films.” Nominated for best film are: “Nomadland,” Florian Zeller’s dementia drama “The Father,” Kevin Macdonald’s Guantanamo Bay drama “The Mauritanian,” Emerald Fennell’s pitch-black revenge comedy “Promising Young Woman” and Aaron Sorkin’s 1960s courtroom drama “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” Up for lead actress are: Bakray, McDormand, Radha Blank, Vanessa Kirby, Wunmi Mosaku and Alfre Woodard. The nominations left out some notable performances that have been nominated elsewhere, including Carey Mulligan, Viola Davis, Sacha Baron Cohen, Andra Day and both Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried from “Mank.” The nominees for most outstanding British film — a category expanded to 10 — are: “The Dig,” “The Father,” “Calm With Horses,” “His House,” “Limbo,” “The Mauritanian,” “Mogul Mowgli,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Rocks” and “Saint Maud.” The BAFTAs will be held virtually this year from London’s Royal Albert Hall and split between two broadcasts on April 10 and 11.