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Atonement tops Bafta nominations Atonement tops Bafta nominations
(about 1 hour later)
Romantic drama Atonement is leading the field at this year's Bafta film awards, after receiving 14 nominations.Romantic drama Atonement is leading the field at this year's Bafta film awards, after receiving 14 nominations.
Its stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy are both nominated for best actress and actor and Joe Wright was named in the best director category.Its stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy are both nominated for best actress and actor and Joe Wright was named in the best director category.
Thriller No Country for Old Men and Texan drama There Will Be Blood each received nine nominations.Thriller No Country for Old Men and Texan drama There Will Be Blood each received nine nominations.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, on 10 February.The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, on 10 February.
The awards will be hosted by presenter Jonathan Ross for a second year. MAIN BAFTA NOMINEES Atonement - 14No Country for Old Men - 9There Will Be Blood - 9La Vie en Rose - 7The Bourne Ultimatum - 6American Gangster - 5The Lives of Others - 5Michael Clayton - 5 class="" href="/1/hi/entertainment/7191143.stm">Full list of nominees Several movies picked up more than five nominations each, with Edith Piaf biopic La Vie en Rose scoring seven, thriller The Bourne Ultimatum with six, and American Gangster, The Lives of Others and Michael Clayton all receiving five nominations.
Several movies picked up more than five nominations each, with Edith Piaf biopic La Vie en Rose scoring seven, thriller The Bourne Ultimatum with six, and American Gangster, The Lives of Others and Michael Clayton all receiving five nominations.
MAIN BAFTA NOMINEES Atonement - 14No Country for Old Men - 9There Will Be Blood - 9La Vie en Rose - 7The Bourne Ultimatum - 6American Gangster - 5The Lives of Others - 5Michael Clayton - 5
Atonement, based on Ian McEwan's novel set in World War II, is up for best film along with Sir Ridley Scott's crime drama American Gangster, German Cold War movie The Lives of Others, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood.Atonement, based on Ian McEwan's novel set in World War II, is up for best film along with Sir Ridley Scott's crime drama American Gangster, German Cold War movie The Lives of Others, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood.
It is also nominated for best British film and adapted screenplay.It is also nominated for best British film and adapted screenplay.
Film critic Mark Kermode praised Atonement but said he did not think it quite lived up to Ian McEwan's book. The movie won best film at the Golden Globes earlier this week.
"I think what Atonement demonstrates is just what a difficult book it is to adapt," he said. Acting battles
"I think it's a very brave adaptation of that book and I love the book so much that it's very hard for the film to live up to that for me." Keira Knightley is up against Julie Christie, who won a Golden Globe for her role in Away From Her, in the best actress category.
Kermode also said there were "no real surprises" except for a "slightly poor showing for Sweeney Todd". The pair are joined by Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Marion Cotillard for La Vie en Rose and Ellen Page for Juno.
Daniel Day-Lewis plays a petroleum baron in There Will Be BloodJames McAvoy is nominated for best actor alongside Daniel Day Lewis, who also won a Golden Globe for There Will Be Blood, George Clooney for Michael Clayton, Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises and the late Ulrich Muehe for The Lives of Others.
There was also a best supporting actress nomination for 13-year-old Saoirse Ronan for her role as Knightley's younger sister in the romantic drama.
Atonement producer Tim Bevan praised director Joe Wright for making a truly British film.
"Most importantly, we have this amazing young director who cast it and crewed it from British people and he got them all to raise their bar and it's fantastic to get this level of recognition," he told BBC News.
'No surprises'
Film critic Mark Kermode also said there were "no real surprises" except for a "slightly poor showing for Sweeney Todd".
"It's only there for make-up, hair and costume design and not for any major awards. It's doing very well in America but largely overlooked here.""It's only there for make-up, hair and costume design and not for any major awards. It's doing very well in America but largely overlooked here."
Last year, drama The Last King of Scotland and fantasy Pan's Labyrinth both took home the most awards, with three each. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is now in its 61st year, after handing out its first prize for achievement in film in 1947.
The awards have grown in prominence since 2001, when the ceremony was rescheduled to take place before the Oscars. But with the Golden Globes cancelled and the future of this year's Oscars hanging in the balance due to the Hollywood writers' strike, the British ceremony may assume a greater significance.
Last year, drama The Last King of Scotland and fantasy Pan's Labyrinth both took home the most Bafta awards, with three each.