Constant Gardener leads Bafta nominations
Story by Jack Foley
ACCLAIMED political thriller The Constant Gardener leads the nominations for this year’s Bafta film awards with 10 in total.
Fernando Meirelles’s gripping adaptation of John Le Carré’s novel is in the running for best film, best actor (for Ralph Fiennes) and best actress (for Golden Globe winner Rachel Weisz).
The film follows diplomat Justin Quayle (Fiennes) as he attempts to get to the bottom of his wife’s death in northern Kenya, and was described by the director as his personal revenge for the way in which the US is trying to stop his home country, Brazil, from producing cheap generic drugs for people.
It faces stiff competition in all categories, however, with Ang Lee’s Golden Globe winning Brokeback Mountain and highly-acclaimed racial drama Crash both receiving nine nominations.
The Constant Gardener, Brokeback Mountain and Crash were all nominated in the best film category, along with Capote and Good Night, and Good Luck.
While Fiennes faces competition in the leading actor category from new Oscar favourite Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain), Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line) and David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck).
Weisz, who won best supporting actress at the Golden Globes on Sunday, is pitted against Dame Judi Dench (Mrs Henderson Presents), Charlize Theron (North Country), Ziyi Zhang (Memoirs of a Geisha) and Reece Witherspoon (Walk the Line).
Clooney in the running
George Clooney has received a personal haul of four nominations, including best director for his excellent film, Goodnight, and Good Luck, and best supporting actor for both that film and Syriana.
Goodnight, and Good Luck received a total of six nominations, including best original screenplay (for Clooney).
It was one of three films to receive six nods, along with Joe Wright’s critically acclaimed adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Rob Marshall’s adaptation of best-selling novel Memoirs of a Geisha.
The awards ceremony takes place in London on February 19 and will be hosted by Stephen Fry.
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