Oscars Highlight British Talent

British film's success in 2013 has been exemplified in the list for this year's Academy Awards nominations, as announced yesterday.
12 Years a Slave, directed by British filmmaker Steve McQueen, has secured nine nominations, putting it just behind David O. Russell's American Hustle and Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, which was part-filmed in the UK, each up for 10 awards.
British film Philomena, directed by Stephen Frears, will compete against these three for the best picture gong. It also received nominations for best adapted screenplay, best music and for Judi Dench as best actress.
Other best picture nominees include Dallas Buyers Club, Her, Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street and Captain Phillips.
Captain Phillips received six nominations, including one for Surrey-born Paul Greengrass as best director. Many were surprised that Tom Hanks has not been nominated for best actor, as he was beaten to the post by Bruce Dern in Nebraska, Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street, Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club, and UK actors Christian Bale and Chiwetel Ejiofor, for American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave respectively.
Actresses alongside Judi Dench in the spotlight are Amy Adams for American Hustle, Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine, Sandra Bullock in Gravity and Meryl Streep in August: Osage County.
Flying the flag for Britain in the supporting role categories are Michael Fassbender for 12 Years a Slave and Sally Hawkins for her turn in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.
There was further recognition for UK talent in the technical categories following nominations for the production design and visual effects team behind Gravity and for Michael O'Connor for his costumes for Ralph Fiennes's Victorian romance The Invisible Woman.
"It's fantastic to see the Academy putting the UK's vibrant and thriving film industry firmly in the international spotlight," comments Amanda Nevill, CEO of the BFI.
"Britain's world-leading studios and VFX facilities take centre stage in the spectacular Gravity, and the ability of our visionary directors to bring true stories to life with extraordinary effect is seen so vividly in Stephen Frears' BFI and BBC Films-supported Philomena and Steve McQueen’s Film4-backed 12 Years a Slave.
"With Oscar recognition for on- and off-screen British talent across so many categories, these nominations help remind us that the UK's film industry is something we can all be hugely proud of. All of these brilliant, talented people are winners in my eyes and I wish them all the luck in the world."
The winners will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Ellen DeGeneres on 2 March at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
www.oscars.org
(IT/JP)